Four Poems by Shakil Kalam

A Frame

A frame hung on the east wall
There were some pictures from a long time ago 
Very bright, fresh, smiling
They used to talk, laugh and play with me.

Second, Minutes, Hours, Days, Weeks, Months, Years,
Forty-five years have passed in the circle of time

The colour of the black and white pictures is also faded.

It seems it has flown away like volatile camphor.

Eyesight is getting progressively weaker;
The lenses of the glasses need to be replaced every year.
Memories are doing betray, no one's picture comes to mind.
Only memories are ruminating and leave on
Morale is getting weaker slowly.

Many of my generation have gone,
I am also a passer in the same way; everyone must have go.
Someone will tie my picture in this frame?
Or will I be tied to this frame?

Sometimes friends or familiar people will say,
He was a vagabond, an insane, a so-called poet.
Maybe someone will see the picture in full

love eyes!
At some point, the frame will be thrown in a corner of the storeroom
It will stay there eternally; carelessly and negligently.
Or shall it be thrown in the roadside dustbin?
In the frenzy of modernity, in the brilliance of youth.
This is life! This is the last result of human life!

Yeh, inheritors, you see, in this frame
There is so much love, affection and compassion involved
And how much sweat, labour, investment, blessings, and dreams.
Your ancestors are hidden there
History-tradition and culture, policy, ethics,
Social and family values, ideals, laughter-crying, happiness-sadness.
Don't throw this frame away in disgust.
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Poet of My Immortal Poetry

A creative poet is accolade in the morning, in the evening and forever
He to be alive in the people's hearts through his creations,  
Gets immortality in the heart of the readers
He sings the praises of humanity and Humaneness
He preaches message of humanity to people
He initiates people to get their rights
He becomes long live in the hearts of readers for thousands of years;
Creative people shine like bright stars in the sky and give light to people
Enlightens the human race
He sings the praises of humanity and peace
Even if a group of miscreants breaks the sculpture of a creative person
His thousands sculptures creating in the heart of readers
And imprintes on the human heart continuously
Fools themselves to mankind, . . . .
Abominable beast will be! Woe to the beast!

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Comfort Is Better Than Happiness  

The phone in your hand is guaranteed
But your life has no assurance.
You have accumulated such pain in cloud's mind equal to the pain of mountain,
You have to remove it, you have to melt it.
I can write for you, one world-poem.

In what type of boat you have floated your love?     
In your twinkling starry sky courtyard!

"Shapla Fota Kajal Dighi's" black water?
The mystery of the secret cottage of thy mind,
Me have to seek out it;  
Must understand, what is it?
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On the Way to the Future With Time 

The sky where the sun rises, the sun sets
A new sun rises, dispelling the light darkness of dawn
New ideas emerge in human consciousness
Draws a vision of the future in the depths of the heart
Countless doors are opened for future decision-making
At the end of darkness comes the direction of light
A star twenty million light-years away was caught by the scientist's giant telescope
The space was decorated by the moon's light;
What a wonderful light!

In the light of the full moon; the fireflies don't burn in this city.
Suddenly the crow-clouds of the eastern corner thicken in the northern sky,
In the universe of heart and soul.
I am swing in the sway of faith and disbelief;
A whirlwind, a tide rushes at the border of thought,
To snatch my hope from my life.  
What is the wonderful truth of life? Death! to survive!
Life moves forward in the future at its own pace,
Some great feats, some sweet memories and the dry existence of natural beauty are left behind.
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Poet Shakil Kalam is a root finder writer of Bangladesh. He obtained his Master’s from the University of Dhaka, he is presently working as an Additional Director at the Central Bank of Bangladesh. Mostly, he is renowned as a central banker, researcher, poet, child litterateur and translator. His poems have been translated into twenty-six languages all over the world. His published books thirty-nine are the best sellers and textual books taught in many universities in Bangladesh. Awarded with Order of Shakespeare Medal 2021, Gujarat Sahitya Academy award 2021 and Global Prestigious award 2021. He is the founder of the literary group SahittyaPata. He is also the International Ambassador for the Chamber of Writers and Artists in Spain as well as a member of the International English literary journal's Advisory Board of the ENGLIT" and the "Unending Quest." He is also a member of Dhaka University Political Science and Master in Governance Studies Alumni Association.