"This night has something magic"

[Arindam Banerjee]

It was on a cold and wet night, when, defying parental injunctions,
I as a ten-year-old sneaked off to watch, enthralled, the
dignified actress, Waheeda Rehman, perform "Raat hai thoree
bheegee-bheegee", in the Hindi movie "Mujhay Jeenay Doe", screened
on a fluttering screen in an open field with a 16mm projector.

*****

This night has something magic; magic -
Who does sit there, looking tragic?
Are you sleepy?
Are you sulky?
Is there sorrow
In your marrow?
Rise up to my payal's chhum-chhum!
Chhum-chhum chhum-chhum chhum-chhum chhum-chhum
Chhum-chhum chhum-chhum chhum-chhum chhum-chhum...

This night has something magic; magic
Grips you, not barren logic!
Who is sleepy?
Who is sulky?
Who has sorrow
In his marrow?
Who did not rise to my payal's chhum-chhum?
Chhum-chhum, etc.

This night has something moist; moist -
Whose petard, now, should I hoist?
Who is willing
For his filling?
Not just honey -
Who has money?
Who's moved by my payal's chhum-chhum?
Chhum-chhum, etc.

This night now asks one important question -
Hear this well, o baboo, sujjan!
This bosom's poise -
Who shall roise?
Who wants to spend a night of pleasure?
Who dare unlock so rare a treasure?
Who wants to hear in burst of passion
My payal's ring in different fashion?
Whose purse'll open to my payal's chhum-chhum?
Chhum-chhum, etc.

This night has something moist; moist
Your desire, here, take my charms' joist.
This body proud -
Make your shroud.
Let passion's heat
Control the beat
Of the sounds from my payal's chhum-chhum!
Chhum-chhum. etc.

Arindam Banerjee
Melbourne, April 2001

[Mirza Ghalib]

For a ten-year old you seem to have been quite
precocious ! (just joking)