A sun-drawn dawn

Bimal Guha

In my sleepy eyes at dawn flashes the year '71,

Our day of independence with a new thrill;

Leaving behind the creepy darkness of the morning, afternoon and night

We await dawn's dazzling sunlight-

A brutal night befell us making hazy our sight

Will my time lose its path like a sailor in plight?

We had to stand our ground firm and strong

As if passing time at the crossroads of life and death;

The morning woke up at the call of Bangabandhu braving all odds.

The youth touched the ray of light before the dawn and walked a long distance.

The people of Bengal got animated with the mantra of freedom.

Resistance put us in deathly encounters

Time roared ahead with crazy courage

Blood spilled all over the rivers, ponds and creeks of Bengal.

Everyone chanted Joi Bangla, our only mantra of freedom.

The eastern sky was painted crimson with the ink of blood of hundreds of thousands.

The siren of joy rang; emerged a sun-drawn brand new dawn.

Translated by Anjan Kumar Das