ENTANGLED IN the meshes woven by countless gazing eyes, he is drawn into a whirl of noise, the man of fame. Alas, he has lost his rank among those who are privileged to remain unaware of the date of their birth, whose recognition in the world is slight, even as the leaves are that lightly swing on the branches and drop on the dust unnoticed. He lives in his solitary cell among the crowd with a chain of honour ever jangling round his limbs. Take pity and free him in the world of cool light, green shade and sweet reticence, in the unbounded dust, the primeval playground of the eternal child. When the ferry boat from the dark brought him to the landing on the shore of fresh knowledge, he had nothing to cover him from the light that touched his nakedness as it touches the sail unfurled in the air. In the simple freedom-of that morning flowers without fame bloomed in the grass, and the spring hour spread its golden wings, in an immensity of leisure. In that holiday's solitude his name received its infinite worth from a sweet voice whose far-away music makes him wistful in the languorous afternoon of March and whose date is lettered today in this glistening quiver of asath leaves. He had his poet's welcome from the river Padma and the morning star through the intervals of bamboo leaves on her bank. The dark masses of cloud had spread before him a purple shadow on the distant rain-dimmed forest; his eyes had followed the track of noisy girls to the river along the shady village lane and enjoyed the duet of colours under the sunset sky in the blossoming field of mustard and linseed sown together. He gazed and said, 'I love it', and wished that this love of his remained behind him, even when his big endeavours had come to nothing, and that his salutation carrying his life-long wonder should leave a lasting memory of his touch on the dust of his earth.
THE MORNING sea of silence broke into ripples of bird songs; and the flowers were all merry by the roadside; and the wealth of gold was scattered through the rift of the clouds while we busily went on our way and paid no heed. We sang no glad songs nor played; we went not to the village for barter; we spoke not a word nor smiled; we lingered not on the way. We quickened our pace more and more as the time sped by. The sun rose to the mid sky and doves cooed in the shade. Withered leaves danced and whirled in the hot air of noon. The shepherd boy drowsed and dreamed in the shadow of the banyan tree, and I laid myself down by the water and stretched my tired limbs on the grass. My companions laughed at me in scorn; they held their heads high and hurried on; they never looked back nor rested; they vanished in the distant blue haze. They crossed many meadows and hills, and passed through strange, far-away countries. All honour to you, heroic host of the interminable path! Mockery and reproach pricked me to rise, but found no response in me. I gave myself up for lost in the depth of a glad humiliation-in the shadow of a dim delight. The repose of the sun-embroidered green gloom slowly spread over my heart. I forgot for what I had travelled, and I surrendered my mind without struggle to the maze of shadows and songs. At last, when I woke from my slumber and opened my eyes, I saw thee standing by me, flooding my sleep with thy smile. How I had feared that the path was long and wearisome, and the struggle to reach thee was hard!
খোকার চোখে যে ঘুম আসে সকল-তাপ-নাশা-- জান কি কেউ কোথা হতে যে করে সে যাওয়া-আসা। শুনেছি রূপকথার গাঁয়ে জোনাকি-জ্বলা বনের ছায়ে দুলিছে দুটি পারুল-কুঁড়ি, তাহারি মাঝে বাসা-- সেখান থেকে খোকার চোখে করে সে যাওয়া-আসা। খোকার ঠোঁটে যে হাসিখানি চমকে ঘুমঘোরে-- কোন্ দেশে যে জনম তার কে কবে তাহা মোরে। শুনেছি কোন্ শরৎ-মেঘে শিশু-শশীর কিরণ লেগে সে হাসিরুচি জনমি ছিল শিশিরশুচি ভোরে-- খোকার ঠোঁটে যে হাসিখানি চমকে ঘুমঘোরে। খোকার গায়ে মিলিয়ে আছে যে কচি কোমলতা-- জান কি সে যে এতটা কাল লুকিয়ে ছিল কোথা। মা যবে ছিল কিশোরী মেয়ে করুণ তারি পরান ছেয়ে মাধুরীরূপে মুরছি ছিল কহে নি কোনো কথা-- খোকার গায়ে মিলিয়ে আছে যে কচি কোমলতা। আশিস আসি পরশ করে খোকারে ঘিরে ঘিরে-- জান কি কেহ কোথা হতে সে বরষে তার শিরে। ফাগুনে নব মলয়শ্বাসে, শ্রাবণে নব নীপের বাসে, আশিনে নব ধান্যদলে, আষাড়ে নব নীরে-- আশিস আসি পরশ করে খোকারে ঘিরে ঘিরে।
এই-যে খোকা তরুণতনু নতুন মেলে আঁখি-- ইহার ভার কে লবে আজি তোমরা জান তা কি। হিরণময় কিরণ-ঝোলা যাঁহার এই ভুবন-দোলা তপন-শশী-তারার কোলে দেবেন এরে রাখি-- এই-যে খোকা তরুণতনু নতুন মেলে আঁখি।
