Waterhen

Dear dark brown waterhen, what ails you?
Why do you fly away when you see humans? 
Dear water bird, share with me all your sorrows 
Tell me who stabbed you after sitting next to you 
And pretending to be your friend  
Why do you fly away with frightened eyes 
When you sense the presence of a human around? 
Who do you tell all your stories all night long? 
Who do you bare your heart to? 
Today I have come to you
To sit for a while next to the lotus leaves 
To hide my face in your wings.
 

Translated from Bangla by Quamrul Hassan.
 

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Quamrul Hassan is an MFA Candidate at the University of Arkansas’s Program in Creative Writing and Translation. In a journalism career spanning over 15 years, he worked for Bangladesh’s biggest newspapers, including The Daily Star and Prothom Alo.