And The River Roars On

clouds hug the tall trees tight
as though a new bride
her beloved off to war

and the river roars on

the tall trees darker
than the dark mountains
the mountains darker
than the inky blue-gray skies

and the river roars on

raindrops kiss pining pine leaves
brushing aside messenger clouds
such is true passion:
impatient-persistent

and the river roars on

half-hidden three-quarter moon
climbs up the dark mountain
step by painful step:
the beggar, arthritic slave
of the universe!

and the river roars on

the shepherd and his sheep-babies
climb almost without noticing:
as though an infant’s hungry hands
roaming its mother’s breasts

nourishment is inoculation against fear

and the river roars on

the apple crop was murdered
with no evident rhyme or reason
by snow
out of time and season:

such is the ancient secret
as spoken by the sage
“before and after follow each other”

life and death are not opposites
but brothers

and the river roars on

daughter of the clouds
beloved of the moon
sister of the land
mother of life

the river roars on
the river roars on
the river roars on

on and on and on

Kal Phir Guzri Shab

Shabnam ke moti aankhon se ginte, kal phir guzri shab
Lekar ek ghamon ka lashkar kal phir guzri shab

Tum na aaye lekin, zaalim yaad tumhaari aayee thi
Cheer ke seena meethe khanjar se, kal phir guzri shab

Kahti tha aarzoo-e- dil ke zulfein khole tum aayee ho
Jab siyah-o-mushkbu, chaal nasheeli, kal phir guzri shab

Raah-e-wafa par chalna yaaron, jaano kuchh aasaan nahin
Karvat-karvat ki thokar kha kar, kal phir guzri shab

Kyon rote ho duniya waalon, Sifar ke chal guzarne par?
Phir wohi subha wohi shaam hui, kal phir guzri shab

The Night Once Again Passed

Eyes counting pearls of dew, the night once again passed
With an army of sorrows in tow, the night once again passed

You did not come, but your cruel memory did arrive
Rending the breast with its sweet dagger, the night once again passed

The desire of the heart proclaimed that you have come with hair undone
When black, fragrant, moving intoxicatingly, the night once again passed

Travelling the path of faith, know is not easy friends
Turning from one side to the other in my sleep, the night once again passed

Why do you weep, O people, that Sifar has passed on?
Once again the dawn and the sunset, the night once again passed

Meaningless Words, As If It Were

i crave for a glimpse of her, a drunk for a sip, as if it were
but her hair masks the face, a bodyguard as if it were

who knows but that the Saqi’s merciful gaze might turn away from us
let the wine flow tonight my friends, a tearful eye as if it were

the dawn’s breeze blows fragrant, like the beloved’s scent
the sky too, blushes pink, the rouge on her cheeks as if it were

sleepless i remained through the night of separation, covered in a sheet of despair
come morning, the garden was in tatters too, a scene of desolation as if it were

the street is a well-known one; the faces too, are familiar
then why does fear reside here, the gallows as if it were?

i would certainly have visited the temple, believe you me, Sifar
if deep joy one could obtain there, the beloved’s street as if it were

Nisaar Doon

Yun toh tujh par jaan-o-imaan, sab nisaar doon
Magar bata kab tu aayega, kab nisaar doon?

Jo ho tu ham-kadam, toh ho raah rang-o-bu se pur
Warna is daur-e-gham ko, tanha bhi guzaar doon

Mazhab ke naam toh, laashein sad-hazaar bichh chukeen
Ho gar kuchh is se aage, toh jaan main bhi waar doon

Umeed-e-wisaal-e-yaar Sifar, toh baaki rahi nahin
Ek hasrat-e-mehr-e-saqi hai, chal usey bhi maar doon

Give Up

Quite readily, for you, life and honour i would give up
But, do say when you will come, when should i all give up?

If you walk beside me, this path would fill with colour and fragrance
If not, this tour of sorrow, alone too, i could live up

In the name of faith, many thousands of corpses have been lain
If there were something beyond that, my life, too i would give up

Hope of a meeting with the beloved, Sifar, no longer remains
Yes, there is a desire for the Saqi’s mercy - that too, i should give up

Nahin Aate

Harf-e-sukhan-o-jaan-e-jaana, bulaaye se nahin aate
Kahaan aata hai sukoon dil ko, jis roz ye nahin aate

Guzaari hai umr hamne, us mast-nigaah ki galiyon mein
Saje hain daagh jo seene par, bas maange se nahin aate

Sab jaan-o-rang is maihfil ki, teri ba-daulat hai saqi
Maan yakeen tu warna, raqeeb-o-yaar ye nahin aate

Dil khol ke milta hai har se Sifar, haae naadaangi teri
Zaahir hai tujhe duniya ke, taur-tareeqe nahin aate

Do Not Come

Words of poetry and the life of my life, just by calling do not come
When is the heart ever glad, on the day that they do not come?

A lifetime have i spent under the gaze of those intoxicating eyes
These scars that adorn my breast, for the asking do not come

All the soul and colour of the party, is due to you, O Saqi
Believe me, otherwise, these friends and foes do not come

You meet all with open arms, o your silliness, Sifar!
It is clear that to you, the ways of the world do not come

Escaped

If a sigh did not emerge from the lips, a wail escaped
If the pain of love did not become a poem, life escaped

For an age, the desire for a meeting lay hidden in the breast
She came to my grave, and there it escaped

Just a moment ago had i filled it, why is my cup empty?
Who stole my wine, friends? - tell me how it escaped

I had thought the heartbeat would state my case
But, when it encountered that beauty, not a sound my heart escaped

Life is a secret deep Sifar, how can we say
Whence the breath came to this body, where it escaped?

Nikli

Labon se aah na nikli, toh fughaan nikli
Gham-e-ishq sheyr mein na nikla, toh jaan nikli

Muddaton hasrat-e-wasl thi pinhaan seene mein
Aaye woh mazaar par meri, so yahaan nikli

Abhi-abhi toh bhari thi, khaali kyon hai pyaali?
Kaun chheen gaya jam-e-mai, kaho kahaan nikli

Socha tha dhadkan-e-dil rakhegi baat hamaari
Magar dekha jo us husn ko, bezubaan nikli

Zindagi ek gaihra raaz hai Sifar, kya kahiye
Kaheen se aayi thi idhar woh, wahaan nikli