Two Poems by Azhar Uddin Sahaji

By Azhar Uddin Sahaji

Incense Sticks

On the other day,
when I entered Deepak Bhaiyya’s apartment
A pleasant scent of incense sticks
Struck my senses.
He lights them in the small temple
Located in his room
Every evening.
And in an instant
I thought of Abba
We’ve seen in our early childhood
He used to light the cheapest incense sticks
Very religiously
For a good bouni-paata –
An auspicious beginning for a good earning
In his cycle repairing shop.
We grew up with their smell
Early in the morning
Till ambition scattered us –
His two sons.
In high societies

They hid they’re the sons
Of a cycle mechanic –
Abba doesn’t understand poetry and identity
He still continues to run that old shop.

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Thinking of Ziad Rahbani, from Delhi
5 August, 2020

Today, loneliness shivered in my veins
Like a gust of wind
Playing mindlessly in the streets of this city
Then in the dead of the night
I closed my eyes and thought of Ziad Rahbani.

On the other day, when Beirut was shaken by a blast
I cringed seeing videos
Of red smoke and shockwave damaging the city
I closed my eyes and thought of Ziad Rahbani.

Tonight I felt nervous
While walking down to my apartment
Through the allies, I’ve known for years
In this city
Upon reaching home

I closed my eyes and thought of Ziad Rahbani.

Bio:
Azhar Uddin Sahaji teaches English at Delhi University. He writes both in Bangla and English.

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