Poetry

Ki Puchdeo Haal Fakiran da…

Ki puCHdiyo ho haal fakeeraaN da

Ask not the fate of us fakirs…
SaaDa nadiyoN viCHRe neeraaN da.

…we…the river-separated droplets…

SaaDa haNjh di joone aaiyaaN da

…we… the tear-form-bound arrivals-to-life…
SaaDa dil jaleyaaN dilgeeraaN da!

…we…the heart-forsaken, heart-bound souls!! 

Eh jaandiyaaN kujh shokh jahe

Conscious that a few wanton stray
RaNgaaN da hi naaN tasveeraaN hae

…colors are named images …
Jad haT gaye aseeN ishke di

On entry to the realm of love…
Muhl kar baeTHe tasveeraaN da!

…i fell for these same images !

Sahnu lakhaaN da tan lahb gaya

Countless in flesh I encountered…

Par ik da man vi na miliya.

…not one in spirit did I find…

Kiya likheya kise mukadar si,

written thus was the fate…
HathaaN diyaaN chaar lakeeraaN da!

…of the lines on the hands.

Takdeer taaN apni sauNkan si

My destiny was but elusive…
TadbeeraaN saathoN na hoeeyaaN.

…planning..I could not accomplish.

Na jhaNg CHuTeya na kan paaTe

….couldn’t leave Jhang, couldn’t pierce ears (like Ranjha)…
JhuND laNgh giya iNjh heeraaN da.
,,,Bevy of Heers passed me by.

Mere geet vi lok suneeNde ne

My songs people fondly listen to …
Naale kaafir aakh sadeeNde ne,

…and also call me out as kafir…
MaeN darad nu kaaba keh baeTHa

As Pain I called out as Kaaba,
Rab naaN rakh baeTHa peeRaaN da.

…God..as I named sorrows.

MaeN daanashvaraaN suneeNdiyaaN saNg

In company of so called intellectuals.
Kai vaari uchi bol piya,

Many times loudly have I spoken.
Kujh maan si saahnu ishke da,

Bit pride had I of love…
Kujh daava vi si peeRaaN da!

,,,bit claim I had for my sorrows!

TooN khud nu aakal kehNda haeN

An intellectual yourself you call…

MaeN khud nu aashik dasda haaN

…me, I declare myself a lover…

Ih lokaaN te CHaD daeeye

This we let humanity decide…

Kihnu maan ne daeNde peeraaN da!
…whom they respect, bestow as Pirs!

 

Karz …
 
Aaj din chadheya tere raang varga
Today that dawns bathes in your color…
tere chumman pichchli sanng varga
 in the kiss of your past sweet presence.
hai kirna de vich nasha jiha
…the rays have a sort of intoxication
kise chimbe saapp de danng varga
…like the bite of a venomous snake. 

mei chohnda aaj da kora din
I reckon that this fair day…
taarikh mere naa kar deve
…dedicate history to my name.
a din tere aaj raang varga
This day bathing in your color…
menu amar jahan de vich kar deve
…immortalizes me in this world.
meri maut da jurrm kabool kare
…may it accept the crime of my demise
mera karzz tahi te dhar deve 
…may it bestow my debt on the palm…
iss dhupp de peele kaagaj te 
On this yellow sunlight paper…
do haraf rasidi kar deve. 
…two letters may it thus address.

mera har dyon de sir karza hai 
Every day owes me a debt…
mei har dyon ton kuch laina hai 
…I need to take something from each day.
je zarbaa deva vahiya nu 
If we multiply the ledgers…
taan lekha vaddh da hee jaana hai 
…the account will continue to swoon.
mere tann di kalli kiran layi 
For my self’s lone rays sake…
tera suraj gehne paina hai 
…your Sun-self will get bartered.

tere chulle aag naa ballni hai
Fire won’t burn in your wood-stove…
tere ghade naa paani paina hai 
no water will be left in your earthern-pot.
a din tere aaj saang varga 
this day that adorns your color…
mudd di divi ne marr jaana hai.
 

main chohnda aaj daa gora din 
I wish that this fair day
an aayi maut naa mar jaave 
not die an un-asked death…
mei chonda iss de channan toh 
I wish that with its bright light
har raat kuleni darr jaave 
every inauspicious night gets frightened
mai chonda kise tijori daa 
I wish like some safe-guarding.
saapp bann ke menu ladd jaave… 
snake, it stings on me…

jo karz mera hai sameya te
…the debt I have on times…
o be shak saara maarr jaave 
…that may all get erased.
per din tere aaj raang varga 
But this day bathing in your color…
taarikh mere naa kar jaave…
…dedicate history to my name.