Koi tasweer mukammal nahi hone paayi...

Ab jo dekhein to koi aisi badi baat na thi;

Ye shab-o-roz (nights and days), mah-o-saal (months and years) ka purpaich (intricate) safar
qadr-e-aasaan (in easy proportion) bhi ho sakta tha!

Ye jo har mod pe kuchh uljhe hue raaste hain,
in mein tarteeb (order) ka imkaan (chance) bhi ho sakta tha.

Hum zara dhyaan se chalte
to woh ghar
jis ke
baam-o-dar-o-deewaar (windows and doors and walls) pe veeraani (emptiness) hai,
jis ki har subah mein shaamo ki pareshaani hai,
uss mein ham chain se aabaad bhi ho sakte the.

Bakht (destiny) se amn (peace) ki raahein bhi nikal sakthi thien.
Waqt se sulah (peace) ka paimaan (commitment) bhi ho saktha tha.

Ab jo dekhein to bahut saaf nazar aate hain;
saare manzar (scenes) bhi
pas-e-manzar (behind the scenes) bhi.

Lekin is der-khayaali (late realization) ka sila (result) kya hoga?

Ye to sab baad ki baatein hain, Meri Jaan, inhein
dekhte, sochte rehne se bhala kya hoga?

Woh jo hona tha, hua; ho bhi chuka!

Waqt ki loh (paper) pe likhi hui tehreer (script) ke harf (letters/words)
Khat-e-tanseekh (writing of cancellation) se waqif (aware) hi nahi
Bakht maktab (school) ke register ki tarah hota hai;
apne number pe jo "Labbaik!" ("I answer you!") nahi keh paate,
un ka kucch uzr (excuse) nahi... koi bhi faryaad (appeal) nahi!

Ye wo taa'ir (birds) hain jinhein apni nawa (sound/voice) yaad nahi.

Line-ein (lines) kat’ti rahin, lafz badalne ke sabab (reason)
Koi tehreer musalsal (continue) nahi hone paayi
Haasil-e-umr (yield of life) - yahi chand (a few) adhoore khaake (sketches)
Koi tasweer mukammal (complete) nahi hone paayi...

~Amjad Islam Amjad