wo shuks-nazm

Wo shuks bai-naam thaa per bohat bad-naam thaa
MakhmaleeN libaas main, kantooN kay darmyaan thaa.

Wo shuks tou thaa ajnabee, per zuban-e-zade aam thaa
RahatooN kee dhuup main, sayooN ke zere daam thaa

Wo shuks bohat weeran thaa, ujraa gulistan thaa
Na khilwatoon ke aan thaa, na mefilooN ke jaan thaa.

Na wo kisee ka yaar tha, na kisee ke dil ka qarar thaa
Naa thaa aseer-e-zulf wo , na shutr-e-bay muhaar thaa

Wo shuks tou thaa bay-zarer, par ajab insaan thaa
Sher-e-darogh main zuban-e-bay nayam thaa.

Afsos! wo bad-naseeb rindoN ke darmyaan thaa
Hosh waloon kay lye pastyooN kaa jaam thaa.

__________HAJR

Ghazal

is weeran dil kaa koe makeeN tou ho
aisa khuda milay jisay khud pe yaqeeN tou ho

dharke hai jo pat.ther pehlu main raat din
kisi sung traash kay zair-e-nageeN tou ho

bazar-e-husn maiN her buut bai-misal hai
nazer maiN aeenay ke koe haseeN tou ho

be-rung se hai raat, rung-go hina se haath
mosam -e-dil apnaa kuch rangeeN tou ho

ker daiN nisaar humbhi apni jabeeN ae dil
ghairoN ki kehkasaan main koe zameeN tou ho.

__________hajr.

SAFI’S COUPLETS

ghazal usnay cheri mujhay saaz daina
zara umre-e-rafta ko awaaz daina

Na khamosh rhena meray hum-safeero
jab awaaz doon tum bhi awaaz daina

______SAFI LAKHNAVI

Ghazal

ankhoN main hai kasish ya shola-e-naar maiN?
ronaq hai dasht main ya kohisaar maiN?

laakh bandishoN se hojaiN hum azaad
rehna hai her garhi tou waqt ke hisaar maiN

dil muztarib hai aur ruh muntashir
kat-ti hai meri zindagi isi inteshaar maiN

dastaan-e-ghum apni zara kijye daraaz
rehta naheeN baqi mazaah ikhtesaar maiN

nazer se nazer hi miljae tou bohat hai
hijaab ki laz-zat kahaN bos-o-kinaar maiN

ghour adaaoN pe apni zara kijye hazoor
bareek sa hai farq ghuroor-o-iftekhaar maiN

_________hajr

ghazal

ja chupa chand perday main kya kije
tulu-e-seher ki hi ab tou dua kije

hogya khusk aankh ka derya, tishna!
nachor ke daman hi ab pya kije

bakhstay ghair ko hain alfaaz ke moti akser
kalaam mujh se bhi lillah kuch ke-ya kije

unhaiN naseeb saya-e-qafas, pairoN main khanaktay ghungru
ab azaad bandoN pe bhi tou kuch daya kije

mujhko lagta hai ye waqt mujhe dusta hai
her sa’at pe nikle hai dum, kuch dawa kije

rahay aap se qayam ye yakterfa rishtaa
jo doobay nabz tou roshan nae shama kije

_________hajr

we against us

Its we against us
its we against the wall
with guns in our hands
pointed at our our hearts.

_______nocturnal

TAZAAD-nazm

Suraj ke zair-e-saya
chund mom ke sipahi (mom-wax)
kirnoN se apnay (kirnoN–sunrays)
jaam bher rahay haiN (jam-chalice)

Dhoop ho ya Chaya
ye mot ke humrahi
kaantoN ko talway (kaanton–thorns) (talway-foot sole)
daan ker rahay haiN (daan–sacrifice)

aur duur kaheeN chund rehber (rehber–leader(s)
khudae ki dhun maiN
gunahooN ke jal maiN (jal–river)
ashnaan ker rahay haiN
tabahi ka apni samaan ker rahay haiN

Ger yeh buut parast haiN (buut parast–idolaters)
tou patharooN se kyunker (patharooN–stones)
khudaooN ko apne
lahu-lahaan ker rahay haiN
mandiroN ko kyuNker wiraan ker rahay haiN?

_________HAJR

andhairoN maiN (in the darkness)

der jata hooN khud se akser andhairoN maiN
nazer aate hai haqeeqat akser andhiaroN maiN (haqeeqat–reality)

chupta hoon din ko kirnoN ke sher se (sher–evil/wickedness)(kirnoN–light rays)
aur dhoondta hai sher mujhko akser andhairoN maiN

lamhe bher ko saya-e-shajer ko jaganay (shajer–tree)
chamktee hai bijlee akser andhairoN maiN (bijlee-thunder light)

takhyuul libada sapnoN ka orhay (takhyuul-imagination)
daita hai dastak akser andhairoN maiN

mujhay meray dil ke kharabi ne mara
poojta hai falaq ko akser andhiroN maiN

_______________hajr (my Urdu pseudonym)

Mir

From Awadh

Only poetry and music bring tears to men’s eyes.

_______Nawab Wajid Ali Shah