Utpal Chakraborty (Voices Within 2023)

Utpal Chakraborty is an English literature teacher, translator, writer, critic, and bilingual poet Utpal Chakraborty is an Indian poet, based in Kolkata. He is a regular contributor to leading Bengali and English magazines across the globe. Chakraborty's Uranta Dolphin, an acclaimed collection of fifty-five Bengali poems was published by Signet Press in 2018. He has translated Bitan Chakraborty's critically acclaimed collection of Bengali short stories, under the title The Mark (Shambhabi Imprint, 2020). His book of English poetry Kirigami published by Hawakal has had rave reviews from reputed poets and critics. He is the recipient of the Panorama Global Literary Award 2021

A Game

 

Apple blossoms swaying in rough wind,

Nests dropping from the sky.

Grasshoppers from among the singed clods

trumpeting spring.

Some lizards utter truths in homes forlorn.

No song but the staccato of some

Trojan hoofs reign supreme.

It's all but a game, we all are participants of.

The vampire and software maker shake

hands with you in a masquerade.

 

 

 

Spicy Platter

 

Extant

rays 

of the

stars,

epistles,

hand fans, 

bioscopes,

lullabies,

fairgrounds,

framed pictures

of our grandparents-

we hold them dear to our hearts

the parting delicacies,

life fills its platter with.

 

 

The Winner 

 

He who had a very close shave held

fast her hand.

The hand stretched out from under

the collapsed roof of their dear home.

 

A journalist was focussing on

the white face of the hopeful father.

 

The quiet old man gestured

to the reporter to pan on her. 

 

The man agreed with a tremor-struck hand.

 

Now a handful of dust, she is again trampled.

 

From Joshi Math, like Imrak of Turasaka

I too cannot raise my head.

 

Can we not get the slightest piece of earth

to stand out, to breathe?

Hey reporter, can you have

a close-up of us now?

 

Can you tell who rocks the horse?

Who wins?

---

Setu, November 2023 :: Voices Within 2023