Tag: Poetry

Posted in Life and After

Gard | Urdu | Sher | Poetry

Posted on by Shaily Agrawal

Sara jahaan jab gard me lipta hua lagne lage,

Sheeshe khidkiyo ke saaf kar lena durust hai.

Translation (Not word-by-word):

When bleak, bleary, blurred world

is blanketing in dirt

(one friend at a time),

high time someone

cleaned the windows.

Author’s note: An Urdu Sher is a couplet that deep dives into a single topic within two lines. A conventional Sher must be rhymed with specific word weight (this one is not) but it is not necessary. The theme can vary from society to love to faith and everything else under the sun.

Posted in My life

Ingrate | Lantern

Posted on by Shaily Agrawal

Ingrate–

never knew

what I had

until I had to…

…pack it.

Author’s note: I have just moved house last week and am still wondering how two and half people can have 11 huge bags and cartons full of daily stuff hidden inside a single room, apart from all the furniture, almirahs, blankets, pillows and electronic items. I am not even counting the stuff my mom in-law moved here–she was responsible for three other rooms and the kitchen! No wonder our family needed a bigger house. 🙂 And we had always talked about needing more stuff that we couldn’t buy due to lack of space until now!

“Aagah apni maut se koi bashar nahi. Samaan sau baras ka hai pal ki kahabar nahi.”

– by Hairat Ilahabadi

(Death gives no notice of its arrival. Weighed down are we with possessions fit for a century, unsure if we live to see the next second.)

Posted in Love

Begone

Posted on by Shaily Agrawal

The ever-present frigidness is now fiery warm;

The spring had come suddenly

and now, I wish it gone;

For there is no softness, no gentleness as such;

Only the passionate sun

that burns all he touch;

And makes you wish for icy winds and torrential storm.

Love is just barely here,

and now, I wish it gone.

Posted in Nature

Eternal

Posted on by Shaily Agrawal

Billions

of stars

twisted in braids,

swirling in eternal dance,

Heavens!

Author’s note: Lantern is a Japanese form of poetry with 1, 2, 3, 4, 1 syllables set to share a single thought.

Posted in Random Thoughts

Ghost

Posted on by Shaily Agrawal

I keep waiting for you to leave,

Watching the corner where you stand

Shaking your perfect head at me;

Finding fault

picking at me.

Surely you can’t still be here.

You left without a backward glance

Reducing me to tears.

Begone the ghost

of lost years.

Posted in Random Thoughts

Blue Painting – Pink Painting

Posted on by Shaily Agrawal

She tries avoid looking in that general direction

Where, in her room, hangs the pink painting–

A gift from someone who loves but doesn’t understand.

Her eyes roam everywhere except that wall.

You could mount a stag’s head there and she wouldn’t notice.

She doesn’t want to notice

the typecast.

….

In his room, hangs a blue painting,

Something he bought along colourless clothes

To erase all doubt per chance;

Something he hated at the first glance;

A reminder of the bondage that sets him in the mould

And throws him in the inferno

Hoping he would fit the cast.

…

Wish they could switch…

Wish they do switch…

Nothing worse than a painting

That speaks against your heart.

Kash asman surkh aur zameen neeli hoti,

Sabko apna jahan khud rangne ki ijazat mili hoti.

Translation

If only the Sky was red;

If only the Land was blue;

If only everyone had the right

To colour their own view.

Author’s note: A lot is often lost in translation. Please read the last bit again with the following in mind:

Asman or Sky is considred male in Urdu while Zameen or Land is considered female.

What do think about typecasting people in gender roles?

Posted in Love

Darkness

Posted on by Shaily Agrawal

Andhera tere dar pe nahi mere dil me tha;

Me dastak se darta raha; tu intezar karta raha.

Translation:

Standing in the darkness outside your door;

Willing it to open; fearing it would;

Craving the light escaping from the sides,

Steeling to face it; fearing I would;

Hoping to accept me; fearing I’m ruined;

Knowing you stand right beside the door,

Just waiting for me

to knock…