Can Anyone Tell Me?

Here’s an evocative poem of longing, by Prabal, exclusively for Different Truths.

Some men possess an unusual type of balcony
Standing on which
No human can be seen
Only the shadows lurk
No tree comes in the eyesight,
Neither the birds
though the shadows grow longer

The shadow of an invisible lamp-post
Occupies the footpath
Standing on such a balcony
How could I catch the right?

From such a balcony, I keep my watch
Over the city
That is devoid of houses,
Only the shadows of the houses
Stay alive

In those shadow abodes
Live the shadowy citizens
Can anyone tell me
Which one of these houses
Belong to Rukmini?  
I need her 
As I had left my long-lost river to her
And I desire to walk on the shores of that river
With her
For one last time
But how can I detect Rukmini’s house?
Is it possible to determine from the shadows?

The evening seems to descend soon
Can anyone tell me what exactly the time it is?

Translated from Bengali by Armaan Singh

Picture design by Anumita Roy, Different Truths