Poetry – Page 3 – Short Stories

Poetry

Khabar | Urdu | Poetry | Nazm

Posted on Jan 4, 2023 by Shaily Agrawal

Teri khidkiyo se hawa takra k laut jati h,

Tu zulf dhoop me ab sukhaata nhi.

Andhero me doobi hui h duniya,

Tu khul k ab khilkhilaata nhi.

—

Mitti me ab wo khushboo nhi h,

Tu barisho me ab chhat pe aata nhi.

Meri kabr bohot maayus h, humdum,

Mausam ab teri khabar lata nhi.

______________________

Translation:

Breeze knocks on your windows and returns,

You stopped drying your hair in the sun.

The world is slowly drowning in dark,

Awaiting your laughter to bring the spark.

The ground does not hold its familiar fragrance.

Don’t you step on roof now when it the rains?

My grave is gloomy and desolate, love.

The seasons don’t bring your tidings now.

Authors Note: A Nazm is a piece of Urdu poetry that is made of several quartets, each carrying the same thought.

Poetry

Qabiz | Urdu | Poetry

Posted on Dec 19, 2022 by Shaily Agrawal

Ek kamzarf Lubna thi qabiz wajood-e-Kais pe,

Humko BaKhuda kar de, hume bhi ishq karna hai.

A powerless Lubna permeated Kais until he ceased to be.

Permeat me, my Lord—I, too, want to love.

Author’s note:

“BaKhuda” actually means, “I swear by Allah (Khuda)”.

But “Ba” in Urdu means “permeated with” and “Khud” means “self”. Hence, I have used the word differently to mean “fill with Yourself”.

The story of Lubna and Kais is one of the most famous love stories in Urdu poetry, as Kissa-e-Laila-Majnun.

A very handsome man called Kais fell in love with Lubna who was very plain and dark as night (Laila). People were surprised at the match. At that time, the Arab law was against love marriages. They were separated. But Kais lost himself completely and was called Majnun (mad). When he found that his Laila has died of long suffering, he searched for her grave and died next to her—not because of the heartbreak but because of the ecstasy of finally finding her. Thus, they became one.

It is said that on the day of judgement, Allah will present Majnun to the mankind as the epitome of love and ask everyone why no one loved Him as much as Kais loved Lubna.

A question every woman asks her man…Sigh!

Poetry

Hawain (Breeze) | Urdu | Poetry

Posted on Dec 13, 2022 by Shaily Agrawal

Jo chhod aaye the baad-e-naseem mashriq me jane ko,

Surkh khursheed ke phoolo se sehera khilane ko,

Laut aaye hain gulistan me sukoon pane ko,

Kehte hain hawao ne unka sath nhi diya.

*****

Tapish-e-shams se jab parwaz khak ho gye,

Au’ hauslo k angaar tufaano me bujh gye,

Bujhi hui mohabbat ki shama jalane ko,

Laut aaye hain gulistan me sukoon pane ko,

Kehte hain hawao ne unka sath nhi diya.

English Translation:

He who turned his boat to east

Leaving breeze of west grieving

To fill the desert with the

flowers of the blushing sun,

has returned to the garden

to seek the lost devotion.

He blames the breeze

had pushed his boat away.

*****

When the fiery sun

burnt his wings to ash

and the storms blew out

the embers within,

He returned to light

the candles of love again,

has returned to the garden

to seek the lost devotion.

He blames the beeeze

had pushed him away.

Author’s note: A Nazm is an Urdu poetry style where the same thought is followed in each quartet. Mine is a short and rather imprecise version since this is my first attempt.

Like most Urdu poetry, this one has dual reference where breeze of west or baad-e-naseem is considered as female. It also means the wind that comes from Mecca.

Poetry

Good Night | Poetry

Posted on Sep 19, 2022Jan 16, 2026 by Shaily Agrawal

Happiness boundless,

Sleeping quietly,

In my bed,

Holding my finger.

Sigh!

Poetry

Not Me | Haiku

Posted on Aug 19, 2022 by Shaily Agrawal

Sun rains down not kindly.

I plough through life as not me

‘Cause you love not me.

Authors note: A Haiku is a three-line Japanese poetry with 5,7,5 syllables. It contains a reference to nature.

Fiction, Poetry, Tiny stories

Mirage | Haiku

Posted on May 23, 2022Jan 16, 2026 by Shaily Agrawal

Your arms curl around me

I snuggle content, hoping to die before

waking to find you gone.

A Haiku is a Japanese form of poetry with 5, 7, 5 syllable combination. Usually, all lines are independent with a least one reference to nature/seasons.

Poetry

Loneliness

Posted on May 22, 2022Feb 16, 2026 by Shaily Agrawal

Fear

overwhelming senses

lets no starlight

through; darkness complete without

you.

Author’s note: A Lantern is a Japanese poetry form with 1,2,3,4,1 syllables forming the shape of a lantern.

Poetry, Tiny stories

Unrequited | Urdu Poetry

Posted on Mar 23, 2022Jan 16, 2026 by Shaily Agrawal

Qubool kar be hua nhi. Irshad kho gya zina me kahi.

Teri ashanai me hume fir bhi musalsal mukarrar ka hi irada h.

You said “I do” but you didn’t,

Inception of love eternal lost in the forbidden,

Love unrequited wishes still

For chances endless until you return.

Author’s note: An Urdu Sher (couplet) translated into an English Quatrain (verse with four lines)

Poetry

Mourning | Urdu poetry | Lantern

Posted on Mar 22, 2022Jan 16, 2026 by Shaily Agrawal

Jinki yaad me shazar pe gulo ne ugna chood diya,

Unhi ne hikarat se sunsaan gulistaa chhod diya.

Trees

ceased flowering

mourning the one

who deserted ruined garden

in disgust.

Author’s note: An Urdu sher (couplet) translated into a Lantern (Japanese style of poetry with 1, 2, 3, 4, 1 words). Mine is “nearly a Lantern” because the last line has two words.

Poetry