User talk:Firoz Mahmud Khan

My Feeling about Wikipedia
Its a wonderful site to watch and make contribution to it. I am fond of Literature and I have been interested for this site seeing here the beautiful pages of Madhusudan Dutt and Kazi Nazrul Islam. I am a translator of poems. it is my hobby and passion. I have translated 50 poems of Poet sohel Amitabh and want to creat a page in this site for Poet Sohel Amitabh's translated poems. See one of the Translated Poems of Poet Sohel Amitabh below:

Don’t Worry
Written by Poet Sohel Amitabh Translated by Firoz Mahmud Khan

When I’ll be away, don’t worry,

Birds will stay in the garden as they are told,

Even if the main gate remains open

Faithful dog will guard you as ordered.

Flies and cockroaches won’t touch your uncovered food,

They have given me word.

Don’t inform the cat

When rats will come back home,

They’ve enough food dumping in store-room.

Don’t be afraid if power fails.

I’ve paid electricity-bill forever to the moon.

Even if you don’t water the garden

Plants will bloom flower,

It has been due from them last year.

When the lizard falls from ceiling

Take care; its tail mayn’t be lost,

Since it has taken duty to forecast your bad and good.

I’ll send post-cards like swarms of butterflies

You won’t get time to remember me.

And if I am late to come back

Please, set free the pair of lovebirds from bronze cage

It was my commitment to them when they’re collected at last Fair.

Otherwise, where will you put me

When I will be back?

1984, Jhadrya, Bagdad, Iraq

Welcome to all in the world of Sohel's Satire.

Firoz Mahmud Khan

shuchintya@yahoo.com

Translator’s Note
"It is never easy to frame precise definition of literary genera, and the attempt to do so is rarely profitable; for one form shades off into another. We know well enough what we mean by a lyric, but we are sometimes puzzled to determine whether a given poem should be called a lyric or not. Still more is the case with satire. The Romans claimed to have invented satire, and in the sense in which they meant it the claim was justified. Most of their literary forms they borrowed from the Greeks, but not the satire. For satire the Greeks had no specialised form. Yet of course the thing itself, the spirit, is present in Greek literature. There is satire in Homer, and there have been few, if any, satirist greater than Aristophanes. There is satire even in Bible: “No doubt ye are the people, and wisdom will die with you,” is satirical. In short, satire is almost as old as literature; and each people in turn that develops a literature develops a satire also".---Hugh Walker: English Satire and Satirists,1925

Among many other poems of Sohel Amitabh why have I selected these very fifty poems to translate is a pertinent question to be answered with reason for the convenient of its reader. The prime criterion of selecting these poems, is to represent poet Sohel Amitabh’s basic mood and mode of writing along with his style, the realm of his poetic world and the way he looks at that world. Originally Sohel Amitabh is a satirist poet beyond any question. Almost each and every poem of the poet sufficiently contains satirical elements subtly and range. Objectively this poet attacks versatile issues related to national, international, personal, social, political, environmental as well as universal subjects to criticize focusing his transparent light of poetic perception with a view to draw with words the cute picture of follies and fouls into a magnifying shape. Even God is not saved from this blessed attack (God is Awaken). In Sohel’s writing honey is hidden behind the bitter taste of truth. The unique merit of this poet is the sting of satire, which pins unmistakably the target to ridicule; leaves too some honey of poetic ecstasy to savor after reading it over. As if a surgical knife of a surgeon where, as it were, the surgeon is a poet and the knife is the sharp meaningful words of the poem we encounter while reading his poetry. Let us have some examples from his poetry rather, to get the answer of the question why these fifty. I believe, through the following examples and explanations my reasoning in selecting the poems would be conveyed to the reader. The satire on socialism in the poem New Chorus begins with indicating to a funny similarity between Karl Marx and Frederick Angles that both of the pioneers of socialism kept beard, and so deprived the barber from earning some money by shaving their beard. But as we drown deep in this poem we find the grave truth and serious tone.

'When in the Tiene-Min Squire of China

Bullets of socialism shed blood of students

Does it make any spot then,

In that red-colored white lower garments, dhoti?'

'New Chorus'

Here this ‘red-colored white lower garments, dhoti’ infers the usual dress of Joti Bosu the former Chief Minister of West Bengal of India who is a serious follower of socialism.

In the other poem Drugdex the true picture of international politics with its different sheds of intra and international vicious background is crystallized before the readers minds eye wherein authentic scenario of Colombia, Nicaragua, Salvador, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Armenia, Siberia, China, Tibet, Myanmar, Kampuchea, Paris, Vietnam, Australia, Mindanao of Philippines, Hill Tracts of Bangladesh, Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Poland, Former East and West German, North Korea, South Korea, North Yemen, South Yemen, South Africa, Namibia, Palestine, Algeria, Panama, Sri Lanka, Punjab and Assam of India, Maldives, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Saudi Arabia, — are dexterously sketched with contextual words and particular world-known allusive political incidents. I think no other poem of this length has been successfully written encompassing so many countries’ political affairs directing their core problems correlatively in such a synchronized manner and exactness.

'King of drug dropped bomb in Colombia,

Playing cards fight war in Bolivia

Salvador, Nicaragua ………………

Hindi movie performing role in Afghan and Lebanon,

What spot shines on forehead of Gorbachov?

Coal mine of Armenia as well as Siberia

Addicted in Pepsi-cola.

Iraq-Iran and in Turkey, Kurdish are crying why?

Polish got solidarity, Irish are back a bit

Germans are united, would Koreas sleep yet?

Yemen’s are cousins and what’s going on at Johannesburg?

Namibia is liberated, but in Palestine, Panama and Algeria

Drama of ducks and drakes.

Sri Lanka is afraid of Tamil terror.

What happens in Punjab and Assam today

Reverse is happing in Maldives now.'

Drugdex

About patriotism, the poet’s Guerrilla ’71 is a faithful mirror where history got its true image. Guerrilla ’71 is poet’s keen personal observation about his surroundings. But, starting from a personal point of view, the poem reached predicatively to the climax of our liberation war of 1971. While we go through the last two stanzas of this unique piece of poem, we feel but sorry for the outcome of the liberation war.

'After that. …….. abra ca dabra!

We never returned

To that remote village Shamashpur even in springtime.

Now, only poverty and people are there.

Letter comes, we escape to live.

We hide our faces in the lanes of this city

In fear of loosing the greatest memory of our lives so early.

Devoid of license, permit and freedom fighters’ list

That invicible guerrilla Bahar of ’71

Now, in Middle East, fighting the war of livelihood

Seeking the stream of memory of his faded youth

In the oily water of the Arabian sea.'

Guerrilla ’71

Whereas in the poem Wanted the poet resolves:

'When the clock strikes twelve at night

My blood boils in desire to rush towards President Palace.

…… …… …… ………… ………… ………… ……

As soon as the clock strikes twelve at night

All of democracy comes in my palm like sandwich.

What’s the use of writing poetry?

People don’t bother for poetry or democracy

They care for the price of essential commodities.

And talk for socialism knowing nothing of it.'

Wanted

In the poem Diversion the naked picture of politics and follies of our political leaders is satirically and truly portrayed by the coining, punning as well as synchronizing the most used words of the days —

'Leaving the fry-pan of Louis I. Kahn?

Chef of democracy returns home.'

Diversion

About environmental issue, the poet has flawlessly pointed to the biggest problem of environment in the poem The Earth itself is falling.

'Let Palestine, Afghanistan, Nicaragua bleed to death,

All those issues will be settled later on.

The Earth itself is dropping down from solar system!'

The Earth Itself is Falling

Ours is a world of science and technology. We are moving very fast rather to say faster towards the newer and newer scientific inventions and discoveries. Back to the Future has illustrated a marvelous picture of our tomorrows’ life style where things would be artificial rather than natural. In this poem also the poet injects satire:

'Leaving helicopter, Mr. Samiraddi laborer

Got down in his paddy field with lesser scythe in hand

Inside the glass-wall of museum

Stands fmous river Padma with crystal clear water

…. …. …. ….…. ….…. ….…. ….…. ….…. ….…. ….

Ilish Fish exhibition is going on in Grameen Museum

With golden skeleton of Dr. Enamul Haque

He knew it very well, as hearsay.

A perfume is being sold there by five dollar

Essenced with Ilish flavor.

…. …. …. ….…. ….…. ….…. ….…. ….…. ….…. ….

Tired cow ruminates in radiation sickness beside noodles piles

Melody of Michael Jackson in antic bamboo flute of cowboy —

Marveled the synthetic atmosphere around.'

Back to the Future

The effort of the poet in drawing our attention to take necessary measures about the dying river Padma and the traditional Ilish fish is remarkable.

Society is the mirror from where this poet collects his elements and objects of satire. And the poet’s observation is very keen and accurate to grasp the true essence of things and events. The middle class society has a remarkable contribution to our science, arts, literature and many other such spheres, but what are the characteristics and sorrows of this middle class and what they dream or suffer in what pain, have been mirrored in the poem The Middle Class ironically:

'No ground under feet to survive or stand

Middle-Class dreams to catch the moon with broken hand.

Their god of success Gonesh Thakur resides

Inside abandoned walls where decay presides.

…. …. …. ….…. ….…. ….…. ….…. ….…. ….…. ….

Wives of middle class deeply sigh

For ‘made in Japan’, whose prices are high

…. …. …. ….…. ….…. ….…. ….…. ….…. ….…. ….

Though fortuneless, encircled and not pompous

He is the savior of culture, the hearty middle class.'

The Middle Class

Love has thousands sheds and definitions. Our poet has also sketched some excellent picture of love through his own language of satire where the practical practice of love in different stages of life and its various consequences are illustrated colorfully. Among the love poetry of Sohel Amitabh ‘Don’t Worry’ is the best one in my opinion, which ends with the unforgettable lines ---

'And if I am late to come back

Please, set free the pair of Lovebirds from bronze cage

It was my commitment to them when they’re collected at last Fair.

Otherwise, where will you put me?

When I will be back?'

Don’t Worry

In the poem Love, married persons’ practice of love is reflected, I think, wherein to tell a lie is an art to please the partner. The poem Woman is in no way a personal attack to womanhood but an attempt to point out follies that are seen in the society. The poem To Let is another drama to watch what happens when load shading of love is happened between two lovers.

The alarming words....

'On 20th we would meet, you told

Today is only 14th.

I’d let my body to-let for the meantime.

A ‘To-Let’ notice will be hanging in my neck.

And for these days a young man will go in rent

With four years experience in love

A heart with all its facilities

To get an alternative in load shedding of love.'

To-Let

-really marveled us for its indication to the consequences due to the lack of proper enthusiasm of love between the lovers.

Self-pity is a very subtle and modern element that we find in the poems of modern age. T. S. Eliot’s The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock is full of self pity, we know. Highway and Will He get Refuge of Sohel Amitabh, are poems of that category where the poet doesn’t know his destination.

'Like falling rhyme of broken cataract's water

Leaving back his home, - story walks alone far.'

Highway

In the poem Will he get Refuge the poet has realized his alienation from the so-called society and therefore, searching for a refuge. But is there any refuge ‘in this companionless vulnerable world?’ Budda says just before some hours of his death that there is no other refuge in this world except ‘self’ where we can get shelter. But when self itself is lonely, what would be then? A land of loneliness may be made as our poet says in his poem Will He Get Refuge?

'Shall he go towards certain refuge,

On foot or by swimming,

Leaving the so called throne of name, fame and wealth

In his own land of loneliness

In this companionless vulnerable world?'

Will he get Refuge

On the subject ‘poetry’ we’ve chosen two poems of Sohel Amitabh in this collection, Digestion and What is Poetry? Both are profoundly meaningful. In Digestion we find the aggressive poetry is eating up the stories, dramas and essays, which indicate the supremacy of poetry in present time. But in a broad sense we know that all other mode of writing is more or less present in poetry naturally. Let us look at the following lines and see how aggressive the poetry is, in dining table —

'Dancing in meter and rhythm repeatedly

Tired poetry is in dining table —

Fried story in the recipe of novel

Gravy potato-curry of essay

Green salad of drama

With topless flowery waitress beside'

Digestion

In What is Poetry we don’t get any definition of poetry though, we can understand unequivocally from it what poetry is. This is a rare, as well as notable quality of writing i.e. without giving direct definition of something made the reader convinced about the answer of the proposed question,

'Any camel may be bought

From Sudan by 40 dollars;

So does a poet may be, turning in

Suited-booted in this Land of Bengal.

Could ever a poem is produced

By 40 million dollars?

That is called poetry.'

What is Poetry

Sohel’s satires are not that much rhetorical or full of weighty poetic dictions. His language is simple, better to say very simple. As Wordsworth and Coleridge advocated in their literary theory that the language of poetry should be the language of people’s mouth that means it should be simple, we find this simplicity in Sohel’s satirical poems. Although Sohel Amitabh has no grand style like heroic couplet of Alexander Pope in The Rape of the Lock, he has built his style with economical use of words. Each and every word used in his poetry is very much not only relevant to his subject, but bears a multidimensional meaning in it. He is one of the finest economical poets regarding using minimum words in poem. In a brief and neat canvas of words he can manage his subject with necessary details, meaningfully. As it were, a prism, where through radiates seven colors of a single white sun ray’; yes, prism could be the best example to compare with Sohel’s poems. According to the critiques, one of the prime objectives of this literary genera satire is ‘to mend the moral’. If we look at our everyday world through the poetic prism of Sohel Amitabh, we could enjoy the truth of it with the follies in an attractive and convincing manner that helps us to get rid of those bad things. Sohel Amitabh, satires wherever he finds any lacuna in this universe. Well, won’t he satire himself next? We are waiting for that.

Firoz Mahmud Khan

Comilla-Dhaka,Bangladesh

2003-2005

shuchintya@yahoo.com