At the turn of the road while returning 

Sachhidananda Routray

Translation - Sailen Routray

A Korean Painting Made Between 1826-1830
Material - Paper, Silk and Wood
Photo Credit - Wikimedia Commons 

 

At the turning of the returning road,
In the emergent shadows
one saw
at the height of the night 
as white as a heron
an exquisite young maiden
clad in a plain saree.

Her body, a fluttering tiger lotus;
with the dark, poisonous dance of a peacock,
hovering beneath the thin, pale veil.
Like my destiny.
She had come 
like a solitary step in my fate 
in disguise.
(But only a solitary step).

Forgetting the dance of the moon and 
the shadows, and the bribe of death.
At the moment of dhanubhanga,
when bows are split.

A Cemetery in Silesia, Poland
Photo Credit - Wikimedia Commons 

Note: Sachhidananda Routray (1916-2004), popularly called Sachi Routray, was arguably the most important Odia poet of the 20th century.  Amongst many other honours, he was awarded with the Jnanpith award in 1986. Copyright of the English translation rests with the translator.