matam / mourners

soucha aap nay hum kyuN

matam kernay walouN maiN haiN?

mausam, mehangai, halaat

(jo khud humnay paida kiyay

laikin woh a'lug sitam zareefi hay)

bichRa yaar ho ya dost

hussain ho ya koi ibn e waq't

apni masroof zindagi say

kuch lamhaiN nikal kar

hungama e matam maiN

shirkut lazmi samajhtay haiN

zindagi ki is dOR maiN

aagay kum aur peechay ziyadah

yeh humara shaiwah kaisa?

***

why do we mourn so much?

weather, inflation, living conditions

(to which we contributed

actively and passively)

long lost friend, lover

a hussain or some leader

we pause from our busy lives

to mourn their passing

and the next day

resuming live

this driving ahead

and looking obsessively

into the rear view mirror

is intriguing