জন্মদিন কেউ মনে রাখবে না | No One Will Remember the Birthday

The morning will begin with scorching heat,
Everyone will move towards their own destination.
Some birds will flutter around—
Because it’s a new day
And there’s no leftover food.
A few trees will show signs of transpiration,
Making them look weak, pitiful.
The water tank will be too hot to touch—
That kind of sun.
No one will go to the rooftop for the whole noon.
The street dogs will soak themselves in rotten drains.
A good day for the bacteria—
Everything’s easier for them today.

Still, everyone will move towards their own destination.
No messages will be sent,
No replies will be received.
The birthday will sway
Like uncombed bangs in the wind—
No one will remember it.

The heatwave scenes will slowly fade
As hints of rain arrive by midday.
Then there’ll be tiny drops—
Then heavier ones.
Everyone will feel a quiet peace.
The dogs won’t feel the need
To wash themselves anymore.
A newlywed couple will go to the rooftop—
They’ll dance, thinking
What a beautiful afternoon.
The trees will freshen up,
And the birds, after their meal,
Will rest in their own yards.
“I left my umbrella today,”
A girl will mutter, annoyed,
Looking out toward the street.
A rickshaw will arrive wrapped in polythene—
The rickshaw puller will find comfort today.

Still, everyone will move towards their own destination.
No messages will be sent,
No replies will be received.
The ninth of May will pass
Quietly, silently.
No one will even wonder—
Whose birthday it was today.