khaab maiN aana choRh dO

August 22, 2000


Recently, while on a long drive from Mason-Dixon line nortward immersed in reflections I ëheardí from Faiz. Faiz Ahmed Faiz, perhaps one of the greatest Urdu poet of the last half of last century. Quiet, soft spoken, aristocratic. Had the pleasure of first meeting with him the first or second time he visited Toronto. He had a soft inimitable way ofdelivering his lines. He was so soft spoken and charming that even the gravest message or threat escaping from his lips would sound pleasant.

If you have listened to the audio cassettes of his poetry recited by Nayyara Noor and Zia Mohyuddin you will find some poems that Faiz recited himself. But even there the full softness and pleasantness is somehow missing --- as a listener one fails to visualize his delivery and the zest or twinkle in his eyes.

.......going back.......

I mentioned on this long drive I heard Faiz. He was saying in his inimitable way ëkhaab maiN aana choRRh dou tou hum janaiNí --- this line reverberated throughout the drive. Then I wrote a short poem that is to follow shortly. But before that I would like to share this poem. A young friend of mine is fatally in love with some fellow. I cannot reveal their identity but do have her permission to reproduce her poem here. And to mention this: one of them is from India and the other from Pakistan; one of them is a Muslim and the other a Hindu. Her poem first:


Theories about men and women
Anecdotal evidence
Arguments about love, and relationships

The intersection of sex and spirituality
Society, family, careers, friends
Love in literature, love in life
The tenuous attachment of faces and names

Forced laughter, hurt silence
Sleep in each other's warm arms
Or not

Crying, yelling
Indignant humiliation
Doleful regret
Sublimated desire

Dual-faith prayers
Bi-national views
The siphoning off
of searing, or deep and hollow pain
The granting of orgasm
As gift, or as debt

And even just smiling
Just holding
Just being

You couldn't forget me if you tried...

___________________________________

khaab maiN aana choRh dO


jab ik duniya yeh kehti hay
..........................kay marasim humaray
..........................nahiN oosay quíbool
jab ik duniya yeh kehti hay
..........................in rishtouN ka bojh
..........................gawara nahiN oosay
tou laíchaari may hum nay
..........................rookh apna moR dya
..........................na chahtay huíay bhee.....
..........................rookh apna moR dya
ghaib say saídaa yeh aati hay
..........................doori rakho, doori barítou
..........................tamaam karo sab qissay
..........................zinda raho aur rehnay do
faiz ki bhi suno woh kehta hay
.........................."gar woh
..........................khaab maiN aana choRRh daiN
..........................tou hum janaiN"