I Remember
I remember the gate
right here,
festooned with a flowering creeper,
a tricycle on the verandah
of the house, and a young fellow
leaning at ease against the doorpost
spinning his yarns
of many colours.
From the kitchen
silken vapour
wreathed up
and vanished into air.
There was one who lived here
on scraps and leftovers;
with luminous eyes prowled
the night on velvet feet.
And a quiet armchair globetrotter,
nose buried in morning papers,
would look up
startled
at cawing crows on the wall
and recall a childhood football field
and relive over and over
a goal missed
the ball sailing away
not heeding the referee's frantic whistle,
and crowded figures would begin to caper
in the debit column
of life's ledger.
There was a gate
right here,
festooned with a flowering creeper.
And now-
nothing.
Only a bit of wall
pierced by a shell
stands like a gaping idiot,
a few scattered bricks,
a broken doll
and nothing else.
I turn
the ashes with a toe,
hoping it's possible
a phoenix might arise
or a smile
flash, full
of affection,
full of love.
right here,
festooned with a flowering creeper,
a tricycle on the verandah
of the house, and a young fellow
leaning at ease against the doorpost
spinning his yarns
of many colours.
From the kitchen
silken vapour
wreathed up
and vanished into air.
There was one who lived here
on scraps and leftovers;
with luminous eyes prowled
the night on velvet feet.
And a quiet armchair globetrotter,
nose buried in morning papers,
would look up
startled
at cawing crows on the wall
and recall a childhood football field
and relive over and over
a goal missed
the ball sailing away
not heeding the referee's frantic whistle,
and crowded figures would begin to caper
in the debit column
of life's ledger.
There was a gate
right here,
festooned with a flowering creeper.
And now-
nothing.
Only a bit of wall
pierced by a shell
stands like a gaping idiot,
a few scattered bricks,
a broken doll
and nothing else.
I turn
the ashes with a toe,
hoping it's possible
a phoenix might arise
or a smile
flash, full
of affection,
full of love.
Shamsur Rahman died in August of this year. Kaiser Haq is professor of English at Dhaka University.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. 
Related News
Reflection / Harper Lee at 100: An enduring echo of justice
28 April 2026, 20:10 PM
Literature
POETRY / Take me to a hibiscus field won’t you
13 December 2024, 18:00 PM
Star Literature
POETRY / Our Bangla
13 December 2024, 18:00 PM
Star Literature
THE SHELF / Pages for freedom: Book recommendations for Victory Day
13 December 2024, 18:00 PM
Star Literature
Alice Munro, Canadian Nobel Prize-winning author, dies at 92
14 May 2024, 17:26 PM
Literature
Comments