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Wednesday, September 21, 2011

pani

zindagi, maut jang, aur qehat
kis kis pani per rOaiNgay hum
is barafzaar maiN tou pani
pani hotay rehtay haiN hum

Sunday, September 04, 2011

poessay: salamanca, ny and mrs salamanca

leisurely drive south
gps co-pilot
and m (the) guiding angel
through the rolling meadows
small town usa
listening to iqbal bano sing faiz

hum daikhaiN gay
hum daikhaiN gay
laazim hay kay hum daikhaiN gay
woh din jiska waada hay
a road sign said
salamanca 3 miles
and thoughts veered to
(unheralded)
khuda hash'r maiN hoga mera madadgar
kay maiN nay liyay haiN mrs. salamanca kay hONtON kay bOsay
may the lord on the day or eckoning be my redeemer
for i have planted kises on mrs salamca's lips
in the shed
farming equipment
in the meadows
cows
not worrying about any day
of reckoning
smalltown america
winding down
clean roads
disciplined driving
no outtages
of power or bulletmotions
far far from the frustrating
breaking news pattis
monotonous repititions
of he-said, they said
change the names
and still no one says anything
meaningful

more hills and vales
road sign declares
the highest point
east of Mississippi
(i thought mt. mitchell in nc
but signs come and go
who am i to futilely argue)
more farms and villages
one word world - serenity

far far from the frustrating fusion
of depravity, serenity
khuda hash'r maiN hoga mera madadgar
kay maiN gunahgaar
uroos al balad say hazarouN meel do'or
kya qabil nahin is sukoon ka
may the lord be my redeemer on the day of reckoning
this sinner
thousands of miles removed from
the city of lights
deserves not this peace
(and this alliteration)
hum mehkoomON kayy paaoooN talay
yeh dharti dhaR dhaR dhaRkay gi
aur ahl e karam kay sir ooper
jub bijli kaR kaR kaRkay gi
gar dil hay aapka paas dharaktay hua
tou laraz jai ga yeh paRh ker
your heart will miss a beat
if you can detect it, friend
and you will have no choice
but praise faiz

i will resume this
never-ending journey
to return home
and yet again leave
for places yonder
seeking that elusive peace

and hopefully
sharing my khalish
which 'discomfort' cannot encapsulate
daihlaiNgay ji daikhlaiNgay
will see, will see