Bengali Poetry (Translated)

After the Trance

This is not clear, this is a kind of trance.
The one I don't really know, don't recognize, don't understand—
even they seem to know me, recognize me, understand me.
Even when I don't call, they call to me.

I notice they want to say something;
but what they want to say, I don't know; I sense they don't know either.
It's not that I know nothing at all;
I know a little here and there—this little I know isn't enough to make them speak.

My head is drowsing, but hasn't fully drowsed.
I am neither in rhythm now, nor out of rhythm.
I am not close to myself, I am close to the distant.

I don't give myself away, yet I have no desire not to give myself away.
The one I turn away, I don't want to turn away at all.
I want them, yet I cannot want them.
Who are they? I don't know.
But I know they exist.

Sometimes they tell me to come to them, I hear.
But why don't I run there? Because I can't hear clearly!

If I wanted, I could go far away, where no one could find me anymore.
Why don't I go? Who is holding me back?
Do I want to come, then?
But I can't do that either—they hold me back!
Do I really want to come? It doesn't seem so!

Do I want to go, then?
Yes, I want to, I surely want to.
I want to go, I want to give myself away too.

Will you call once more?
How can I go if you don't call?
Can I go...even without being called?

If you called me more clearly, perhaps
my courage to respond would grow.
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