Ghazal

lamhon ne sadiyan sameti raqs-e-zamin badalte huye
Ik khwab najm hua nigah-e-nargis mein palte huye

Sou bhi jaaney do ab chaand taaron ko
Ik muddat ho chali hai raat ko jalte huye

Waqt ki aankh dhuwan dhuwan bahot hai aaj
qatra bhi samandar ho chala hai machalte huye

Kundan ban kar hii niklegi ab yeh rooh
Terey pahloo ki aanch mein pighalte huye

Jo hawa ne ki sargoshi vasal-e-sehra-o-fasl-e-bahaar
Shabnam ne chhede fasaney lab-e-shab se phisaltey huye

Jo pukara saba ko teri shabistaan ne
Gul kooch kiye chaak-e-seena silte huye

Aur bhi maddham hui lau rukh-e-aaftaab ki
Dekh mere pekar ko teri saans mein dhalte huye

Caravan kuchh nahi  tanhayion ke hujum ke siwa
Aks-e-viran saath raha, musafir ke chalte huye

Glossary:
raqs-e-zamin- rotation of the earth
najm- star
nigah-e-nargis – sight of narcissus
vasal-e-sehra-o-fasl-e-bahaar- meeting of spring harvest and desert
shabnam-dew
fasaney-tales
lab-e-shab – lips of night
saba- breeze
shabistaan- bedroom, where one lies dreaming
gul- flowers
kooch- to set off
chaak-e-seena- wounded chests
rukh-e-aaftaab- face of the sun
pekar -body
hujum- crowd
aks-e-viran- shadow of wilderness


© Saima Afreen (Photograph and poem)