Handing Him Over To Moonlight...

Handing him over to moonlight

I shall return to the darkness of my home

Yearnings of my body even he may not grasp

I shall weep in my heart, smile through my eyes 

How his absence singes me,  joys of bonding have vanished

With whom I shall take umbrage, who will lighten my moods now

That relationship wasn't a nameless one either 

For I shall lower my eyes even now when he wills me to

Amongst roses  I had laid out my entire  existence 

Now when he awakens,  I  shall gather the ashes of my dreams 

His artistry belongs to someone else -

Whose songs will I hum to myself now 

Searching for reasons to justify a new love

He said that some day I will forget him 

As  the environs  contain  dense forest airs 

I will never be able to hear your voice now...

(c) Max Babi

supurd kar ke use chaa.Ndanii ke haatho.n
mai.n apane ghar ke a.Ndhero.n ko lauT aa_uu.Ngii

badan ke karb ko vo bhii samajh na paayegaa
mai.n dil me.n rouu.Ngii aa.Nkho.n me.n muskuraa_uu.Ngii

vo kyaa gayaa ke rafaaqat ke saare lutf gaye
mai.n kis se ruuTh sakuu.Ngii kise manaa_uu.Ngii

vo ik rishtaa-e-benaam bhii nahii.n lekin
mai.n ab bhii us ke ishaaro.n pe sar jhukaa_uu.Ngii

bichhaa diyaa thaa gulaabo.n ke saath apanaa vajuud
vo so ke uThe to Khvaabo.n kii raakh uThaa_uu.Ngii

ab us kaa fan to kisii aur se manasuub huaa
mai.n kis kii nazm akele me.n gun_gunaa_uu.Ngii

[manasuub=attached]

javaz Dhuu.NDh rahaa thaa na_ii muhabbat kaa
vo kah rahaa thaa ke mai.n us ko bhuul jaa_uu.Ngii

[javaz=reason]

sama'ato.n me.n ghane jangalo.n kii saa.Nse.n hai.n
mai.n ab kabhii terii aavaaz sun na paa_uu.Ngii

 (c) Parvin Shakir

Notes : Parvin Shakir, a young Fulbright scholar in Karachi Pakistan, mesmerized her audiences like a bewitching Muse with almost an unreal presence for a few years before a car crash snuffed out her explosive creativity in 1993.  

This is probably the first time, that I am not posting a 'transcreation' here because of the immensity of feeling, emotions and potency in her thinking that shines through an oridinary word for word translation.

I dedicate this poem to the very sensitive friend of mine, Carol Roach of Canada whose birthday today forced me to attempt this as a small gift. Many many happy returns of the day, dear Carol!

Many thanks to Afshan Warsi also of Karachi, who sent me this poem recently.