With My Hands

Be afraid of the darkness no more,
Cover your face with my hands,
Drink sorrow and joy into your eyes,
Build victory with your encircling arms,
Weave your tempo with my beat.

The intolerable light burns today by hatred;
I have no taste for the foul day,
Darkness alone is holy,
Love’s orchestra is silenced by hatred.
Cover your face with my hands.

Bishnu Dey

[Translated from the original Bengali by Samir Dasgupta and Stephen N. Hay]