'Amalkanti' (Poem) by Nirendranath Chakraborty

AMALKANTI

Translated from Bengali by Saikat Guha

Amalkanti is my friend,

We were classmates during our school days.

He used to arrive late everyday; he never prepared his studies,

If the teacher asked him about forms of words

He looked at the window in such a vacant gaze that

We felt sorry for him.

We wished to be either teacher, doctor, or lawyer.

Amalkanti didn’t wish to be anything.

He dreamed of becoming sunrays!

The shy beams of Sun in rain-struck crow-sung afternoon,

Which touches the leaves of berries

Like a tender smile.

We’ve become teacher, doctor, or lawyer.

Amalkanti couldn’t become the sunrays.

Now he works in a dark printing-press.

He often pays a visit to me;

He takes tea, passes time in idle gossip

And says, “Bye, then!”

I bid him farewell cordially.

The friend who is a teacher now

Could have easily become a doctor;

The other who wished to be a doctor

Could have become a lawyer without any mistake.

But, everyone’s dream came true, except Amalkanti.

Amalkanti couldn’t become the sunrays.

That amalkanti, who thinking about the sunrays

Days after days,

Wished to become the sunrays himself one day!

What I Feel

The poem talks about the funny dreams of a happy-go-lucky boy who wished to become the sunrays! Behind this apparent incongruity, however, lies an important fact--a free individual's dream of leading his life according to his own choice. But this society cares not about the dreams or free will of an individual; rather encourages the conventional way of living. The poem beautifully grasps the futile dreams and pitiable present condition of Amalkanti who wished a 'sunny' life but now works in a dark printing-press.