crypto-conundrum

crypto-conundrum

catalyst that shuffles

the mnemonic everest

of dormant memories

in the days gone by ii

in the days gone by ii

in today's world
polluted  skies

on multi-lane highways

sluggish automobiles
on pavements  

sloping heads messaging
beggars with attitude 
in the pause between
red and green
the days gone by

rush past us

and we are still

blissfully naive

in the days gone by i

in the days gone by i

in the days gone by  
the earthly scent was distinct

the smiles were real
the sky bluer

one heard thank-yous
and politeness oozed  
we were innocent

and blissfully naive

in the self-desert

in the self-desert

in the self-desert  

there are no days or nights

the cumulus nimbus

casts shadows nor mercy

 

in the self-desert

only smiles 

of the newborn and the children

      sustain

but the beloved's

transports

      to self oasis

between choices and desires

between choices and desires 

revising, tweaking

choices and desires

in this house of life

with different partners
dancing endlessly

from dusk to dawn

from dawn to dusk

            till we part

tajrubat aur mushahidat

tajrubat aur mushahidat

tajrubat aur mushahidat
tarjih aur tahaffuz ki ik tarteeb
hay jo sada raq's kunaaN
aiwaan e zindagi maiN
is raq's maiN hum raq's
badaltay rehtay haiN
siyahi say ujalay tuk
ujalay say siyahiy tuk

loss of impulse

loss of impulse

this is not an elegy

for this age of polarization

            of discontent

tolerance and spontaneity 

greased life once

            absconding today

era of innocence, impulse and whim

whelmed by withdrawal

Ismat Chughtai from her incomplete autobiography

Ismat Chughtai from her incomplete autobiography

Main muslamaan hooN, bo'ot parasti shir'k hay.

Magar dev'mala meray watan ka virsa hay. is maiN sadion ka culture aur falsafa simoya hua hay. eeman alaihda hay, watan ki tehzeen alaihda hay.

Is maiN mera barabar ka hissa hay jaisay is ki mitti, dhoop aur paani maiN mera hissa hay.

Main holi per rang khailooN, deewali per diyay jalaouN tou kiya mera eeman mutazalzal hojaiga? Mera yaqeen aur shaoor kiya itna booda hay' itna adhoora hay kay rezah rezah ho jai ga?

Ismat Chughtai from her incomplete autobiography. Adabiyaat – Khwateen Ka aalmi Adub vol 14-15 issue 59/60 2002

nawab intro

Nawwab and I: an intro

Nawab belonged to an Ozzie friend of mine Subroto who ran a radio show down under for eleven years.

Nawab can talk, if you would listen.

Not everyone could converse with him though.

He is also a psychic and a mind reader: a trait that automatically invokes honesty in those who could converse with him.

There was no way around that.

One can coax, cajole, bamboozle humans, but not Nawab.

We take pleasure in bringing Nawab here ~t

a different tale

a different tale

in another era

the ashes

reminded us 

of shaddad and nero

              today

in the crematoria

the ashes

tell a different tale

ik a'jub dastaan

ik a'jub dastaan 

kabhi

yeh raakh 

shaddad o nero

choRh ga'aye thay

                             aaj

is shamshaan ghat maiN

aghosh maiN chupa'aye  

yeh raakh likh rahi hay

ik a'jub dastaan 

ehd e covid

ehd e covid

jana tou hay

kal na sahi

jana tou hay

mud'dat guzri

kyun na hum aaj

phir mil baithaiN

laikin yeh baat

hum bhool ga'aye

pabandi hay

mulaqaat  per

ehd e covid maiN

year of discontent

year of discontent

the chasm widens

not since the somme

barabarossa

the karbalas

a non-human

has wrought quietus

the auschwitz crematoria

did not meltdown

but the ones in india

could not stand the heat

                of the victims

death, the new equalizer

in this year of discontent

coronavirus: naqab-posh, bay-naqab

coronavirus: naqab-posh, bay-naqab

israfil, meh'v e intezar
naqab-posh aur pur sukoon
izraeel
bay-hud masroof
shaitan, bay naqab
khush aur meh'v e raqs

nawwab and i: win-win

Nawwab and I: win-win

t: i cannot watch the misery

N: edhi offered 50 ambulances

t: they need oxygen, and we need vaccines

N: time to exchange O2 for vaccines

t: yes, a win-win for the people

N: if sense prevails

#nawwabandi

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ppp;;;

Rezaul Hasan Laskar

@Rezhasan

Pakistan's #EdhiFoundation - built by the great Abdul Sattar Edhi - writes to Indian PM with offer to send fleet of 50 ambulances to help fight #COVID19India

coronavirus: masked, unmasked

coronavirus: masked, unmasked

israfil in the wings
masked and  calm
while azrael charges
has never been this busy
lucifer, unmasked
happily dancing

nawwab and i: dharti maa

Nawwab and I: dharti maa

t: it is earth day
N: every day is dharti maa day
t: right. but we do need to re-set and re-focus
N: masses of plastic bags floating in mid-ocean
t: greta
N: greta and others. teach 3 Rs
t: reading, writing, 'rithmatic
N: reduce, reuse, recycle

#nawwabandi

https://countercurrents.org/2021/04/earth-day-2021/

sleep walking ii

sleep walking ii  

love
friends
absconding
masks littered
under the minaret
faces uncovered
hearts palpitate
another long day
will this be the last day
or just another day

Nawwab and I: melting metal

Nawwab and I: melting metal

t: round the clock use of crematoriums
N: melting metals and mores
t: planned or ordained
N: individual and collective stupidity
t: hmmm, that was not the case in quetta
N: when you nurture them
t: strategic dept?
N: poison pill

#nawwaband i

https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/metal-structures-of-crematorium-furnaces-start-melting-in-surat/cid/1812479

https://www.geo.tv/latest/346573-quetta-7-injured-in-zarghoon-road-blast

sleep walking i

sleep walking i

birds

chirping, cooing, crooning

stirring and heralding

a new day

the devil

awakens

to devour (again)

no one knows why

save the holy man

asleep under the minaret

Nawwab and I: written notes

Nawwab and I: written notes

t: it appears he is not well briefed
N: he should use notes
t: he criticized MNS for it
N: a senior public official cannot ad lib
t: but he knows everything
N: he who thinks he knows all, knows nothing
t: can i quote you?
N: you do
t: casper thinks...
N: casper should only meditate not mediate

https://youtu.be/tcpKBTTiVi4?t=266

matrimonial woes

matrimonial woes

oh yes, we took the vows
'till death do us apart'
but this covid-19
induced 24/7
forced incarceration
is punishment unfair

#tpoem
#gertuburanamaanay

azdawagi paraishaniaN

azdawaji paraishaaniaN

haaN kya thaa woh waada
saath zindagi bhar ka
laikin twenty-four aur
seven ki yeh bandish
kuch zyda hee giraaN hay

#tpoem
#gertuburanamaanay

nawwab and i: ostrich syndrome

Nawwab and I: ostrich syndrome

t: not a relaxing sunday
N: sunday? you have been relaxing for a year
t: yateem chowk.
N: your neighbour has run out of crematoriums
t: sad. am focussed on lahore
N: satan run amok
t: so all that talk of lock-up in ramazan
N: ramadaan!

one friday afternoon, bahadurabad chowrangi

 one friday afternoon, bahadurabad chowrangi

a four-year-old child 

curled under the shade

asleep by the shutters of a shop

a topi wearing shopkeeper

fiddling with the keys

kicked the sleeping child away

and told him to get lost 

in impolite language

the child still dazed

rubbed his eyes 

and looked around

finding his mother

begging in the sunlight 

at the passing cars 

he ran to her 

and hugged her

my mind wandered off

to our son, the same age

and wondered 

about cosmic justice

paronomasia: a short cross-cultural bi-lingual poem

paronomasia: a short cross-cultural bi-lingual poem

chamcha
chamcha-giri
spoon
spooning

paronomasia: noun Rhetoric.
the use of a word in different senses or the use of words similar in sound to achieve a specific effect, as humor or a dual meaning; punning.

nawwab and i: stick and carrot

Nawwab and I: stick and carrot

t: put on
N: i want poutine.
t: no poutine. put on your thinking cap
N; put it aside, it is too soon
t: will sanctions hurt?
N: it is cosmetic. he is never out or off or aside. he will always be put-in
t: ok. will get some poutine.

khwaab aur haqeeqat

khwaab aur haqeeqat

meh'v e khwaab ik khayal aaya

insaan ban-na hay kis qad'r mushkil 

laptop khola aur yeh likh liya

baidari maiN yeh yaad na raha

kal achanak laptop per yeh laf'z milay

insaan-mushkil-ramzaan aur shaitaan

woh shaitaan jo paa ba zanjeer nahiN

dreams /khwaab

dreams

some dreams 

are so real

even the wet pillow

testifies

khwaab

kuch khwaab

itnay such lagtay haiN
kay geela takia bhee

gawahi deta hay

rituals and rights

 rituals and rights

rituals replace affirmation

with an annual zest

rooh afza is opened

in this annual display

rich and poor

are on the same side 

and let me share a secret

not much is achieved

on empty stomachs

jahangir's mausoleum ii

jahangir's mausoleum ii

where are ah and js now
did they marry, had children
where are they now
but more intriguingly
why do i not enjoy the architecture
and instead, wonder about people
i may never meet or hear from?

nawwab and i: ramazan and ramadan

Nawwab and I: ramazan and ramadan

t: nawwab, what is the consensus?

N: ramazan is turkish, persian and indian

t: and ramadan is arabic and english?

N: yes. before they fixed the lunar calendar, ramadan used to come in the hot month only. the root is ramida meaning hot, burnt or scorched

t: what do you mean before they fixed the lunar calendar?

N: like the jews, the earlier muslims used to adjust the 10 day shortfall by inserting  the month of 'nasi' every second or third year. hence there were no seasonal changes. in the prophet's time ramadan used to come in the summer months only.
t: who fixed this Hijri calendar and when?
N: the second caliph umar fixed it in 638 CE retroactively, beginning with the hijrah
t: why did he abandon the rotating calendar
N: woof, woof.

t: ok, i know it is time for your walk. 
N: why do you obsess with how it is spelt? you do not even fast

t: do you want to go out for a walk or no? stop digressing
N: so you want to go back to the non-issue - ramazan or ramadan?
t; yes

N: non-issue. the important thing is to pause, reflect, serve

t: go on o sage
N: fasting is merely cleansing the body. reflecting cleans the mind. zakat is the distribution of wealth. haqooq ul ibad is more important than haqooq allah. forget nomenclature. do the right thing

t: why did i ask you
N: let us go for the walk

jahangir's mausoleum i

jahangir's mausoleum i

in the cordoned-off area
the artisans were busy
with restoration
walking around
i saw this weathered brick
on it was engraved
ah/ms in a heart
is this a subcontinental trait
have seen initials engraved
on historic sites all over?

jis'm aur rooh

jis'm aur rooh

kaha shoukh nay ik din

dil'faraib saadgi say

jaantay ho kyun hay ish'q

roohaiN haiN hum aaghosh

jism ka kya khakhi hay

khaak say mil ja'aye ga

kaisa bharosa

kaisa bharosa

jhoot kehtay haiN sub log

zindagi ka nahiN

hay koii bharosa

humara tumhara

aur in pairouN ka bhee

jo ujalay maiN bhee

khatay haiN thokaraiN

Nawwab & I: apologizing

 Nawwab & I: apologizing

N: you're in trouble again?

t: it is ordained
N: no, you also have free will

t: i realized my mistake and immediately said sorry

N: when you invade the hornet's nest you cannot escape the sting

t: (sigh) karma

N: you men!
t: you dog!

(Nawwab is my talking dog)

to my young heartbroken friend ii

to my young heartbroken friend ii

the workaholic
knows not the pleasures
of idle companionship
of ecstatic touch
dreams of a shangri la
commitment to grow
old(er) in unison

after the drench
move on my young friend
and in vacant moments
smile at the memories

to my young heartbroken friend i

to my young heartbroken friend i

cold hearts are muscles
bereft of euphoric love

soon this will be
a distant discomfort

go
have a crashing cry over
so
the tears begin to heal

not really a political discourse

not really a political discourse

dis or that
point or appoint
appoint or ​dis-appoint

dis-appointment 

certain as the sun rises

ayub, yahya, zulfikar, zia

sharif, benazir, asif

and now this charlatan

dis-dis-dis-dis

ponderings of steps iv

ponderings of steps 

iv

then they think

they should be courageous

hold faithfully to the ground 

beyond the prison-halt

on towards the unknown

in the search of the truth

they hesitate, who knows

what rewards, if deserving, awaits 

punishment, already bestowed, is known

ponderings of steps iii

ponderings of steps 

iii

an open prison
where prisoners come
and go as they please
the steps falter
imagining the horrors
of the unseen
to advance
to the flickering milepost
or to retreat

ponderings of steps ii

ponderings of steps 

ii

the steps wonder

is this a caravanserai

where they rest

to wash the sorrows

savour the moments

few of happiness?

zombie tale

zombie tale

when there is no passion left
effortlessly, wordlessly
we glide down the abyss

if there is no passion left
wonder if life is worth living?

ponderings of steps i

ponderings of steps

i

confronting the dichotomy
of speech and actions
in my wandering
s  l  o  w  l  y  
my desires
your wishes
barely sustain

the daily grind

of our tiring steps

corona

corona

a year has passed by

embraced soliloquy

conversation 

burdensome

who knows

what awaits

in the future

corona

corona

saal guzra

khud-kalami

fitrat ban gaii

guf'tu'goo

ik bojh lagay hay

janay aagay

kya hoga

crime

crime

wrist

boutonniere

garland

grave

shrine

ask the gardener

about the flower's crime?

qusoor

qusoor

kalaii

haar

sehra

qabar

mazar

baaghbaaN say poucho

gulouN ka kya qusoor

aadha such

aadha such

kal ka kisay pata hay

'kullo nafsan...' waqaee!

hum bhool ga'aye

mustaqil ka rishta

maazi aur haal say 

hay paywasta

hum jo ahl e eemaN 

banay phirtay haiN

maazi ko bhula ker

haal kay regzaar maiN

haiN youN ghota-zun 

kay mustaqbil ka 

souchtay hee nahiN

and how we pay

and how we pay

darwin's 'selection' - us

your selection - me

my selection - you

selector's selection - oh well

and we pay 

and how we pay