Physical Flow

My drunken sweetheart came inside the door,
We sat on the floor and drank some more.
My heart started playing with her auburn hair,
My face became eyes and eyes became hands.

Faiz, Bano & me

Every now and then Faiz Ahmad Faiz comes and speaks to me. Sometimes, in the wee hours of the morning and sometimes, deep in the night. Yesterday, for a change, he came in the afternoon along with the great singer Iqbal Baano. Both the greats talked to me over a few G&Ts. What follows is an excerpt from yesterday along with the lady’s brilliant rendition of it.

Dasht-e-tanhaai mein,
Ai jaan-e-jahaan, larzaan hain 
Teri avaaz ke saaye, 
Tere honthon ke saraab 

In the desert of my solitude,
Oh love of my life, quivers
The shadows of your voice, 
The mirage of your lips

Dasht-e-tanhaai mein, 
Duri ke khas-o-khaak tale 
Khil rahe hain tere pehlu ke saman aur gulaab

In the desert of my solitude, 
Beneath the dust and ashes of distance
Bloom the jasmines and roses of your proximity

Uth rahi hai kahin qurbat se 
Teri saans ki aanch 
Apani khushbuu mein sulagti hui 
Maddham maddham 

From somewhere very close,
Rises the warmth of your breath
Smouldering in its own aroma,
Slowly, bit by bit.

Dur ufaq par chamakati hui 
Qatra qatra
Gir rahi hai teri dil daar nazar ki shabnam 

Far away, across the horizon,
Glistens drop by drop
The falling dew of your beguiling glance

Is qadar pyaar se hai jaan-e jahaan rakkhaa hai , 
Dil ke rukhsaar pe 
Is vaqt teri yaad ne haath

With such tenderness, O love of my life
On the cheek of my heart,
Has your memory placed its hand right now

Yun guman hota hai 
Garche hai abhi subah-e-firaaq 
Dhal gaya hijr ka din 
Aa bhi gaye vasl ki raat 

That it looks as if
(though it's still the dawn of adieu)
The sun of separation has set
And the night of union has arrived.

Long Weekend

Darwaazon Pe Pada
Akhbaaron Ka Dher
Long Weekend Ki
Gawaahi Deta Hai

Khabron Ki Laash Liye
Iss Intezaar Mein Ke
Kab Darwaaza Khule
Aur Raddi Mein Dafnaya Jaaye

Kai Baar Koshish Ki
Ke Qabron Ko Khod Kar
Khabron Ko Zinda Karoon
Lekin Yeh Kabhi Na Hua

A rough translation in English...

Newspapers lying on the doorstep
Speak  of the long weekend
Carrying dead News, they wait
To be buried in the heap of trash

Many a times, I tried
Digging the graves
To resurrect those News
But, I've invariably failed

A Wordsmith to a Tunesmith

Tunesmith, my tunesmith
Craft me a sweet tune
My words need them
Please give them one

It’d be the best for my words
Even if it’s your worst
They'll dance in its glory
So will your tune, in them

When the song is complete
We shall celebrate in style
Scotch and Gold Flake Lights
To light up the night

Woh Ghadi Hamaari Hai

Shaam Jab Jaane Ka Naam Na Le
Aur Raat Aane Mein Sharma Rahi Ho
Samunder Mein Silaeti Chamak Ho
Aur Tumhaari Aankhon Mein Bhi

Woh Ghadi Hamaari Hai
Woh Ghadi Hamaari Apni Hai
Woh Ghadi Hamaari Hai
Woh Ghadi Hamaari Apni Hai

Bheege Ret Par Roz Aati Hai, Woh Ghadi
Hamaara Intezaar Karti Hai Der Tak
Phir Maayoosi Se Laut Jaati Hai
Kal Phir Se Aane Ke Liye

Lekin Ek Dafa Aisa Hoga Kabhi
Mayoos Na Hogi Hamaari Ghadi
Hum Saath Baithe Honge Ret Par
Haanth Mein Haanth Liye...Hamaari Apni Ghadi Mein

Aajkal

Aajkal Ghar Mein Lambe Baal Nahin Dikhte
Sirf Ek Lambi Si Tanhaayi Dikhti Hai, Akeli Baithi

Ab Ghar Mein Chotti Taqraarein Bhi Nahin Hotein
Bas Ek Badi Si Khamoshi Tangi Rehti Hai Har Taraf

Aajkal Koi Nahin Poochta Ki, ‘Kya Pehnoon?’
Bas Kuch Khamosh Kapde Rakhe Hain Almaari Mein

Aajkal Bistar Kuch Zyaada Bada Lagta Hai
Aur Neendein Choti Hoti Jaa Rahein Hain

Aur Ek Aadha Paint Kiya Hua Canvas Pada Hai
Patta Nahin Kabhi Poora Hoga Bhi Ya Nahin?

Consider Me Dead

Consider me dead
Unless you want us to live
Like that little seed

Sown in our hearts

Soon this seed will

Turn into a plant

With water of love

Become an ageless tree

And as we grow old

We'll seek its shade
To rest our bodies
On sunny afternoons

And when we are gone

(With luck on our side)

We'd be buried together
Under our very own ageless tree

Consider me dead
Unless you want us to live
Like that little seed

Sown in our hearts

Neend Ke Dhaage

Neend Ke Dhaage Mein
Khwaab Pirote Ho Tum
Gale Mein Yeh Haar Daale
Raat Haseen Ho Jaati Hai

Badi Itraati Phirti Hai
Khaamosh Galiyon Mein
Sitaaron Ka Dil Todti
Andheron Ko Roshan Karti

Aur Jab Kabhi Ek Aadh Baar
Chandni Ka Saamna Hota Hai
Dhak Leti Hai Khudko Sharmaaker

Ek Bade Sufaid Chaadar Mein

Nayi Dosti

The seeds of this one was once again sowed by the same poetry-loving friend.

Beech Raat Ek Khwaab
Sirhane Gir Gaya
Masoom Aur Tanha
Apno Se Juda Ho Gaya

Neend Ki Galiyon Mein
Bechara Akele Yunhi
Bhatakta Raha Badi Der
Doston Ki Talaash Mein

Yunhi Bhataktey Bhataktey
Usse Ek Aur Khwaab Mila
Lamppost Ke Neeche Baitha
Sar Jhukaaye, Masoom Aur Tanha

Ek Ne Doosre Se Poocha,
‘Kya Tum Bhi Meri Tarah Ho
Raasta Bhatak Gaye Ho,

Apnon Se Bichad Gaye Ho?’

Phir Kya, Dosti Hui Unki
Haanth Milaaye Gaye
Aur Donon Saath Chal Diye
Subah Tak Ka Safar Tay Karne

Jugalbandi

This one is a collaborative effort with a poetry loving friend of mine over a modern day technology (mobile sms). We liked the result, so here it is for you to comment.

Kabhi Kabhi Na Jaane Kyun,
Bevajeh Anjaane Mein Yunhi
Tum Aa Jaate Ho Khayaalon Mein
Ek Pyaari Si Yaad Bankar

Phir Uss Yaad Ke Chaand Ko
Dubote Ho Iss Dil Ke Saagar Mein
Aur Hoke Ek Kashti Mein Sawaar
Jaate Hain Hum Sapon Ki Basti Mein

Basti Mein Kuch Diye Jal Rahe The,
Aur Raat Kaafi Gehri Thi
Kuch Der Pehle Khaaye Hue
Khaane Ki Khusbhu Bhi Phaili Thi

Door Kuch Khamoshiyan Baithein Thi
Aapas Mein Kucch Baatein Kar Rahi Thein
Maine Tumse Haule Se Kaha
‘Ho Sake Toh Inhein Suno Zara’