poessay: salamanca, ny and mrs salamanca

(will be driving down the same road today. here is the revised version)

    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
    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)
noon meem rashid

    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 meadows
cows regurgitating
unworried
about any day of reckoning

          lab bayabaaN, bOsay bay-jaan
          kaun si uljhan ko suljhatay haiN hum
          jis'm ki yeh kar gaahaiN
          jin ka haiz'm, aap bun jaatay haiN hum


winding down
smalltown america
in the sheds
farming equipment
clean roads
disciplined driving
no outtages of power
or bulletmotions

          shaam say thay hasratON kay banda e bay daam hum
          pee rahay thay jaam per her jaam hum

far far from the frustrating
breaking news pattis
monotonous repetitions
of he-said, they said
change the channels
screaming aside
nothing meaningful escapes

           matlab aasaaN, har'f bay maani
           tabassum kay hisabi za'aviyay
           mat'n kay sub haashiyay
           jin say aish e khaam kay naqs'h e riya bantay rahay        

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

           jub dilON kay darmiaN haa'yul thay sangeen faaslay
           qar'b e chas'm o kOsh say kaunsi uljhan ko suljhatay haiN hum
           kaunsi uljhan ko suljhatay haiN hum

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 from the city of lights
         do i not deserve 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

will resume this
circular journey
to pause at home
and leave again
seeking the elusive

hopefully
sharing my khalish
which 'discomfort' cannot encapsulate

daihlaiNgay ji daikhlaiNgay

will see, will see...