I see them standing at the formal gates of their colleges,
I see my father strolling out
under the ochre sandstone arch, the
red tiles glinting like bent
plates of blood behind his head, I
see my mother with a few light books at her hip
standing at the pillar made of tiny bricks,
the wrought-iron gate still open behind her, its
sword-tips aglow in the May air,
they are about to graduate, they are about to get married,
they are kids, they are dumb, all they know is they are
innocent, they would never hurt anybody.
I want to go up to them and say Stop,
don’t do it—she’s the wrong woman,
he’s the wrong man, you are going to do things
you cannot imagine you would ever do,
you are going to do bad things to children,
you are going to suffer in ways you have not heard of,
you are going to want to die. I want to go
up to them there in the late May sunlight and say it,
her hungry pretty face turning to me,
her pitiful beautiful untouched body,
his arrogant handsome face turning to me,
his pitiful beautiful untouched body,
but I don’t do it. I want to live. I
take them up like the male and female
paper dolls and bang them together
at the hips, like chips of flint, as if to
strike sparks from them, I say
Do what you are going to do, and I will tell about it.

Hain mudda-e-noumood tu bhi, mai bhi

Ya tu he nahi jahan mein, ya mai he nahi

Mumkin nahi do wajood, tu bhi mai bhi

Na Ye Ke Wo Chale Tu Kehkashaan Si Rahguzar Lage
Magar Wo Sath Ho tu Phir Bhala Bhala Safar Lage

Koi Bhi Rutt Ho, Uski Chabb
Fiza Ka Rang Roop Thi
Wo Garmiyon Ki Chaon Thi
Wo Sardiyon Ki Dhoop Thi

Na Mudatton Judaa Rahe
Na Saath Subah-o-Shaam Ho
Na Rishta-e-Wafa Pe Zid
Na Ye Ke Ez-e-Aam Ho

Na Esi Khush-Libasiyaan
Ke Saadgi Gila Kare
Na Itni Be-taqalufi
Ke Aayena Haya Kare

Na Ekhtelaat Mai Wo Rum
Ke Bad-maza Hon Khuwahishein
Na Es Qadar Supurdagi
Ke Zich Karein Nawazishein

Na Aashiqi Junoon Ki
Ke Zindagi Azaab Ho
Na Es qadar Kathor pun
Ke Dosti Khrab Ho

Kabhie Tu Baat Bhi Khafi
Kabhie Sakoot Bhi Sukhan
Kabhie Tu Kisht-e-Zaafraan
Kabhie Udaasiyon Ka Bann

Suna Hai Ek Umer Hai
Mamlaat-e-dil Ki Bhi
Wisaal-e- Jaanfiza tu Kya
Firaq-e-Jaan gusal ki bhi
So, Ek Roz Kya Hua
Wafa Pe Behes Chid Gayi
Mai Ishq Ko Amr Kahoon
Wo Meri Zid Se Chidd Gayi

Mai Ishq Ka Aseer Tha
Wo ishq Ko Qafas Kahe
Ke Umer Bhar Ke Sath Ko
Wo Bad-tar Az Hiwas kahe

Shajr-e- Hijr Nahi Ke Hum
Hamesh Pa Ba Gul-e- Raahein
Na Dhor Hain Ke Rasiyaan
Gale Main Mustaqil Rahein
Mohabbaton ki Wus’atein
Hamare Dast o pa Mai Hain
Bas Ek Dar Se Hain Nisbatein
Sagaan-e- Bawafa Mai Hain

Main Koi Tasveer Nahi
Ke Ek frame Main Rahoon
Wohi Jo Mann Ka Meet Ho
Usi Ke Prem Mai Rahoon

“Tumhari Soch Jo Bhi Ho
Mai Es Mizaaj Ki Nahi
Mujhe Wafa Se Ber Hai
Ye Baat Aj Ki Nahi”

Na Usko Mujhe Pe Maan Tha
Na Mujhe ko Uspe Zu’am Tha
Jo Ehad he Koi Na Ho
Tu Kya Gham-e- Shikastagi

So Apna Apna Raasta
Hansi Khushi Badal Diya
Wo Apni Rah Chal Padi
Mai Apni Rah Chal Diya

Bhali Si Ek Shaqal Thi
Bhali Si Uski Dosti
Ab Uski Yaad Raat Din Nahi,
Magar Kabhi Kabhi…..

Yeh badla hi nahi jaana, tumhare baad ka mausam.

Nahi tu aazma kar dekh lo kese badalta hai

Tumhare muskurane se dil-e-naashad ka mausam.

Kahin se us haseen aawaz ki khushboo pukaregi,

Tu uske saath badlega dil-e-barbaad ka mausam.”