(Translated by Abdus Selim)
You complained you couldn’t breathe;
but the police did not seem to notice.
As if blacks never strangle under those white knees—
As if blacks are so invincible and mighty!
You left us bringing an end to
all your respiration, screaming and moaning
because of the white-Corona attack.
We all now are metamorphosed into
your respiration, screaming and moaning
and spread all over the streets, from one city to another, and in every state.
We’ve gone beyond America and reached countries far off.
Black brother, you left us
yet you’re back invincibly!
America, can you breathe?
Razu Alauddin is a poet, essayist and translator. He specializes in Jorge Luis Borges and has translated into Bangla the great Argentine writer's stories and essays from the original Spanish.