Her Zeenay Per

Her zeenay per her manzil per
Her pair talay her shaakh talay
Her parday her deevaar talay
Her khirki mein darvaazay mein
Her aatay jaatay rastay per
Her toli mein her dastay mein
Aye dost jahaan tak jaao ge
Tum mera chehra paao ge
Aye saathi dekho aik dafa
Tum apnay mann ka raaz to do
Main dil se tumhaari mukhlis hoon
Tum aik dafa aavaaz to do

~ Unknown

zeena = staircase
manzil = destination
pair = tree
talay = under
shaakh = branch
toli = group (informal - usually refers to a group of close friends)
dasta = group of people (usually used in reference to army)
mann = self
mukhlis = sincere

Jo Tu Ne

Jo tu ne banaayee hai khwabeedah bahisht
Jo tu ne jalaaye hain mohabbat ke chiraagh
Khaab shehzaada jisay tum dekhti ho
Naadeeda saahir jisay tum poojti ho
Roz chala aata hai saahir sa yahaan
Gar yeh he banay teray naseebon ka suhaag
Phir jo past kheyalaat ka maara niklay 
Tum he kaho ishq mein paagal larki
Kaun tiray khaabon ki gavaahi de ga

~ Muhammad Sabir

khwabeedah = dreamy
bahisht = heaven
naadeeda = invisible
saahir = magician
suhaag = husband
past = indecent
gavahi = testimony; witness

(This imaginary heaven that you have created in which you have lit the light of love; in which you dream of your prince charming, this magician who has enticed you with his many charms, who comes here everyday; if he ends up being your life partner, but turns out to be a bad person, who then will testify for the beauty of your dreams?)

(Explanation [One of my personal greatest concerns as well]: Every girl conjures up an image of an ideal life partner. When deciding to get married, every girl chooses what she thinks is the guy who best fits her fantasies. But then, what if, this guy that you placed on a pedestal, after getting married to you, turns out to be this giant ass. [E.g. says something like, "well, you went out with me and stuff, I don't know how many other guys you went out with, let come close to you, how can I trust your loyalty?] And then what choice would you have? What option? This is the guy you chose, he is the one you wanted to spend the rest of your life with, it was your decision... Who will ever understand the legitimacy of your aforementioned dreams? Who will ever be able to testify to the discrepancy between those dreams and how they panned out?!) 

Sher and Info

Since I've graduated, and a little before that too, I've been having computer issues. So I sincerely apologize for not having been so punctual in adding poems and such.

Here's a sher I read a while ago, and it has been stuck with me since then. Reminds me of ammi's death actually; rather the fragility of human life. Here goes:

Khaali haathon ko kabhi ghaur se dekha hai Faraz
Kis tarah log lakeeron se nikal jaatay hain

Is Say Pehlay

Teray Gham Ko Jaa.n

Teray gham ko jaa.n ki talaash thee, teray jaa.n-nisaar chalay gaye

Teri raah mein kartay thay sar talab, sar-e-rah-guzaar chalay gaye

Teri kaj-adaayee se haar ke, shab-e-intezaar chali gayee

Meray zabt-e-haal se rooth ker meray gham gusaar chalay gaye

Na savaal-e-vasl na arz-e-gham na hikaayatain ka shikaayatain

Tery ehd mein dil-e-zaar ke sabhi ikhtiyaar chalay gaye

Yeh hami thay keh jin ke libaas per sar-e-raah sayaahi likhi gayee

Yehi daagh thay jo saja ke hum sar-e-bazm-e-yaar chalay gaye

Na raha junoon-e-rukh-e-hava, yeh rasan yeh daar karo ge kiya

Jinhay jurm-e-ishq pe naaz tha vo gunahgaar chalay gaye

~ Faiz Ahmed Faiz

Aaina Khaanay Mein

Aaina khaanay mein jo log raha kartay hain

Baarish-e-sang jo hoti hai to kiya karrtay hain

khaanay = place, room (lit. = box)

sang = stone

(Literal: What do the inhabitants of glass houses do when stones fall from the sky?

Explanation: Heart if often compared with glass, meaning it's fragile and easily breakable. Problems, devastations, catastrophes can be equated with stones: they're harsh and when you're hit by them, they hurt you. So what happens to that heart when stones fall on it?)

Kitnay mohtaat hain is sheher ke ehl-e-eimaa.n

Chatriyaan taan ke baarish ki dua karrtay hain

mohtaat = careful

ehl = family; clan; group of ppl who stick together for a reason/cause

chatriyaan = umbrellas

taan = cover (verb)

(How careful are these disciples of [any] faith that they're so confident of the acceptance of their prayers that when they pray for rain, they're sure of its fall, so they already prepare themselves, by opening their umbrellas while praying for rain)

Is qadar dard se maanoos hain hum log keh ab

Koi zakhmon ko na cheray to gila karrtay hain

maanoos = familiar

gila = wail; complaint

(We're so used to being hurt, that when no one stings our wounds, we cry about it)

Jaag uthta hai fasoo.n teri yaadon ka

Log jab tazkira-e-mehr-o-vafa karrtay hain

fasoo.n = magic, mystique

tazkira = zikr karna = to talk about

mehr = compassion

vafa = loyalty

(The magic of your memories always creates its charm when people talk about passion and loyalty)

Is qadar qeht-e-muravvat hai keh Farigh ab to

Bevafa yaaron ko hum yaad kiya karrtay hain

qeht = shortage

muravvat = courtesy

(There is such a lack of goodness these days that it makes me miss my not-so-good friends; since nothing positive can be expected now)

~ Farigh Bukhari

Vo Baat Baat Mein

Vo baat baat mein itna badalta jaata hai

Keh jis tarah koi vaada badalta jaata hai

(He takes a new stance with everything new he says, everything new that comes up. Just like someone keeps shifting their promise from one thing to another. He doesn't stick with one position, one viewpoint. Whatever suits his needs/motives at the time, he takes the stance that best fulfills his purpose then. When that need/want of his is satisfied, he moves on to claiming he has a different standpoint (to meet some other need of his). His words aren't stable, like a promise that assured one thing, but then kept changing to something else - never got fulfilled to what it actually was)

Yeh aarzu thee keh hum us ke saath saath chalain

Magar vo shakhs to rusta badalta jaata hai

(I wanted to be with him in the journey of life, to walk alongside him, but he keeps changing his course)

Jo tez dhoop mein sar per raha vohi aanchal

Hava chali hai to kitna badalta jaata hai

aanchal = dupatta; a piece of cloth used mainly for covering the body

(When it's hot outside, people cover their heads for protection against the heat. But when the wind blows, the same garment keeps flying away, and forget its purpose - protection. The poet is making an indirect comparison between that garment and people. That people don't always do what they originally set out to do. When circumstances change, so do people)

Rutain visaal ki ab khaab honay vaali hain

Keh us ki baat ka lehja badalta jaata hai

visaal = milan; union

lehja = tone of voice

(The thoughts of our coming together are about to turn into dreams, because he keeps taking his word (of staying together) back)

Vo baat ker jisay duniya bhi moetabar samjhay

Tujhay khabar hai zamaana badalta jaata hai

moetabar = trustworthy

(Say something which I can use to bind myself to you. Words don't mean what they used to when things were simpler, when people's honesty could be taken for granted. Now no one can trust someone based on their word. Those values are long gone. Don't keep me hanging on flimsy promises, empty talks. Give me something solid that I can show to the world as proof of your loyalty towards me, as justification of my being with you)

~ Noshi Gilani

Lambi Judaai

Haal Ehvaal

Hello piyaray baccho,

Ummeed hai aap sab kheriyat se hon ge. Main ne kaafi arsay se kuch post nahin kiya hai, aur is ki vajah hai... masroofiyat. But not to worry, I'll be back soon-ish. Abhi bhi there are two poems that I really want to post but my diary is allllllllllllllllllll the way in my shelf and I'm too tired to get up and get it. So, nothing for today. But good poems are coming up, I promise!

Meanwhile, go watch 'Avatar' in IMAX 3D (even if you already have done so). If I still haven't posted anything, then watch 'Shutter Island'. Agar tab tak bhi main ne kuch na post kiya to... youtube zindabad. =)

Adieus!

Hum He Mein Thee

Hum he mein thee na koi baat, yaad na tum ko aa sakay

Tum ne hamain bhula diya, hum na tumhein bhula sakay

(Perhaps there was nothing special in me that would make you miss me, which is probably why you've forgotten me. Though I couldn't do the same)

Tum he na sun sakay agar qissa-e-gham sunay ga kaun

Kis ki zubaa.n khulay gee phir hum na agar suna sakay

(If you refuse to listen to my agonies, then who else will? If you refuse to listen to me, people will lose faith and will stop sharing their pains with their beloved).

Hosh mein aa chukay thay hum, josh mein aa chukay thay hum

Bazm ka rang dekh kar sar na magar utha sakay

(I was aware of everything that was going on, I wasn't intoxicated in any way. But when I saw the situation around me, the circumstances surrounding me, I couldn't dare say anything)

Shauq-e-visaal hai yahaan lab pe savaal hai yahaan

Kis ki majaal hai yahaan hum se nazar mila sakay

(I have the same desires as everyone else around me, rendering me as normal. And I also have the reputation amongst others that keeps them from looking me into the eye)

Raunaq-e-bazm ban gaye lab pe hikayatain raheen

Lab pe shikayatain raheen lab na magar hila sakay

(Even though I was the life of the party, I had their attention, I still couldn't let them know of the complaints I had in my heart)

Aisa bhi koi nama-barr her baat pe kaan dhar sakay

Sun ker yaqeen kar sakay jaa ke unhain suna sakay

(Is there such a messenger that can listen to me, understand my plea, and communicate it to my beloved?)

Ahl-e-zabaa.n to hain bohot, koi nahin hai ahl-e-dard

Kaun teri tarah Hafeez, dard ke geet ga sakay

(There are many here who understand my language, but not a single person who understands my pain. No one can communicate sorrow like myself)

~ Hafeez Jalandhari

Yeh Kesa Khauf Tha

Yeh kesa khauf tha rakht-e-safar bhi bhool gaye

Vo kaun log thay jo apnay ghar bhi bhool gaye

rakht = accomodities one takes while travelling (e.g. money, food, etc)

safar = travel; jounrey

(What kind of a fear was that, that made me forget to take even my essentials along with me on my journey? What kind of people were those who forgot their own homes? Poet is talking about the fear that makes people forget themselves even, their own needs and priorities take the back seat and something else becomes more important. Fear. Of losing someone? Of not finding that someone? Of the world rejecting that someone?.. And they get so preoccupied in this fear that they forget that they're travelling (life is often compared to a journey). They even forget their [final] destinations)

Yeh kesi quvvat-e-parvaaz darr ne paida ki

Parinday urrtay huay apnay parr bhi bhool gaye

quvvat = power; strength

parvaaz = flight

(It is that same fear that wakes in us the power to do what we once deemed impossible. Fear is a motivator after all. But while driven to do those nearly impossible things, we underestimate our capabilities [and end up failing/falling])

Dukhon ne cheen lee aankhon ki saari beenaayee

Hum us ka sheher to kiya, rahguzar bhi bhool gaye

beenaayee = sight

rahguzar = pathway

(My sorrows snatched away my sight [I cried to the point of blindness]. I not only forgot his city, but even the way that led to his city. [That's how crumpled up/debilitating my grief was, that it took over my mind so completely. I forgot those things that were once second nature])

Kheyaal tha keh sunaayen ge haal-e-dil lekin

Hum us ke saamnay arz-e-hunar bhi bhool gaye

arz = request

hunar = skill

(I thought I'd share what's in my heart with him, but once I got in front of him, I even forgot how to speak)

Juda huay to khula hai tumhaari basti mein

Hum aik dil he nahin, chashm-e-tarr bhi bhool gaye

basti = town

chashm = eye

tarr = wet

(And now that we're no longer together, I realize that not only you have my heart, but you also have my tears [meaning I've lost the ability to feel - I'm numb; I've lost it all])

~ Noshi Gilani

Sher

Tujhay bhool jaanay ki koshishain kabhi kaamiyaab na ho sakeen
Teri yaad shaakh-e-gulaab hai jo hava chali to lachak gayee

Sher

Darna vo mera neend ke imkaan se her pal
Aur shaam dhalay khaab ki chaahat mein bhi rehna

~Unknown

Sher and Info

Bohot masroor thay jeenay ki duaaon per Shakeel

Mila hai ranj to taaseer pe rona aaya

~ Unknown

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Howdie folks,

This will be (most probably) my last post for the year. I'm going on a vacation tomorrow inshaAllah! To Australia! I'll be back from there on the 11th of next month, and will probably be back on the blog a couple of days after that inshaAllah.

Take care and a very happy new year,

Ambareen

Kabhi Halaat Ki

Kabhi halaat ki gardish se ghabraaya nahin kartay

Hisaab-e-zindgaani sab ko samjhaaya nahin kartay

Bohot be-chain kar detay hain mustaqbil ke andeshay

Bohot se khaab hain taabeer jo paaya nahin kartay

Kheyaalon ke gulistaanon mein aati ha khizaa.n bar

Bohot se zakhm hain aisay jo dikhlaaya nahin kartay

Rivaaj-o-rasm ki bandish ujaalay cheen leti hai

Khalish dil mein ho sab ko batlaaya nahin kartay

Koi dil mein ho aur vo doosray ke dil ki dharkan ho

Muqaddar apna apna hai sabhi paaya nahin kartay

~ Unknown

(I heard this as a title song, sung by Nayyara Noor, for a Pakistani drama named "Hijaab". Cast included Farhan Ali Agha, Azra Siddique and others. If you happen to know the name of the poet, or the full version, please let me know).