Nirmal Prabha Bordoloi

Nirmalprabha Bordoloi (b. 1933) is an eminent Assamese poet and lyricist, has four collections of poetry to her credit. Recipient of Sahitya Academy and Asom Sahitya Sabha awards.

Abstractions

1

My beginnings in some remote millennium
this my journey work that spawned traditions
shrinks in an instant,
I creep into the darkness of the basket,
a lone mustard seed.

2

I came out holding hands with that sigh
and had looked at the house
my alien strain weighed down on it
and the house sagged. [PA]

Poetry

Keep a patch of the forest in your bosom
to give you the shade to rest in
keep a bit of the sky in your bosom
where two birds for once can fly alone [PA]

Sorrow

As the smell of the autumn field
Somehow reaches my nose
I get my father back.

In the aroma
Of an unfolded gamosa of a shop
I get my mother back.

Where shall I leave myself
for my children?
Oh where? [NT]