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Monday 27 July 2015

DEATH BY WATER

You can still see Her
Torn Dupatta waving
Like a holy thread
By Amira Kadal bridge, where
She jumped off
And you can still hear His cry
In the iron railings of that bridge
Whenever buses move
Rattling like the cries of Azaadi.

Or were they pushed off
At gun points by armed people?

Jehlum knows all our secrets.

We Kashmiris have our name
Written in water but
Like Sohni.
We all travel in our pitchers.
If we don't drown in Jehlum
It will drown us.

At the back of our minds
We always hear water dripping,
Drowning us.
Somewhere
Our children drown
In the waters of their blood.
Somewhere our Poet
Will be drowning in the
Waters of ink.

Who pushes us in and out of our veins?

Whatever we do
At some point Chenab will always
Kiss Jehlum.
However we die, it will always
Be by water. We always drown.
We always die as lovers.

Saturday 25 July 2015

NOVICE

When I lost my precious smilie of hope
Ideas were arrested like political prisoners
Words curfewed
I finally cried out to God
"Teach me poetry,
What is metaphor?
Teach me God, I have lost it all"

My sullen God replied
With a violent deluge
That took away my home.
I cried out again
"Teach me what is this? "

Deluge, my child
Is poetry
And Home -
Home is the metaphor you seek

Sunday 12 July 2015

GEET

Aaja jaldi sey
Mai tujhe apni nayi nazm kay
Bantey bigadtey,
Maani bemaani,
Kuch lafzoun kay darmiyan chupa loon.
Phir jab ye nazm mukammal hojaye
Iska husn tujhsa hojaye
Mai ye nazm kagaz pe
Na likhun
Balki ise zahan se utar kar
Dil mein basa loon
Taki jab tu
Saari duniya sey chup kar
Mere seene pey sar rakhey
Mera dil isey dhadkanu pe gaaye
Aur Tu sunte sunte sau jaye

Sunday 5 July 2015

TO HIS COY MISTRESS

You shy away from everything
Gentle touches and passionate kisses
Garland of arms
And nooses of suicide
Loving yourself
And hating society

Next time you come
I will recite Neruda
Like the voice from holy minarets
I will sprinkle Bukowski
Like holy water
I will read Sade
Like holy books
I will marry
Sane and insane
Sacred and profane
Fuck and love

Next time you come
I will touch you
Like autum
And disrobe you
Of leaves Of shame
And when you will tremble
Under my wintry breaths
I will embrace you
Like spring

Thursday 2 July 2015

DIL KA MAUSAM

Shouq tumhare husn ki baarish mein bheegne ka
Darr tumhare hijr kay sailab mein dhoobney ka bhi 

Dil ka mausam bhi aaj kal Kashmir jaisa hai