CREATIVE EDGE

THE HAUNTING QUESTION Your serene oceanic eyes Your soft rhythmic voice Your rosy cheeks and red lips Your brown curly hair Your face and your physique intoxicates me.... no doubt But.... my dear love the destitute souls the homeless heads the diseased body the thirsty throat the hungry belly the suffering humanity hurts me a lot And my dear love I am in a state of confusion..... May I serve you or the suffering humanity?

NINE 'O' CLOCK MORNING Busy in my own thoughts I was heading towards my office. A youth fair and slim  came near me and asked, 'what is the time, Sir ?' 'It is nine 'o' clock morning,' I replied 'Why you are joking Sir ! I cant see any trace of morning far and wide..... its darkness.... darkness everywhere.' With an astonishing eye  I looked towards the  Sun !!

THE ETERNAL SEARCH At the pathways of a busy city street, above a mount of rubbish and dirt, sat a human body........ in rags and with sunken eyes, busy..... searching something ! Passers-by stared at him .... in disgust. Street urchins pelted stones at him, street dogs stood near him with trust. He didnot pay any attention and continued his search...... An innocent boy looked at him "Mama ! who is he ! let me see !" "No, my dear, he is a mad man." The lady said so and departs, He did not care for her remark and continued his search....... A damsel peeps through the window of her brand new car "Wow ! what a beautiful subject for my new painting" A writer looks at him in despair "Oh ! what will happen to this society I will write a story about this man." Unaware of these socialistic concerns he continued his search....... Near this heap of garbage and dust at the upper storey of a public school a teacher was telli...

ज़ंजीर रोज़-ओ-शब्, औकात, लम्हात फासले दरमियाँ हमनशीं, हमसफ़र बेनिशान, बेसबब क्यूंकि सब के सब एक तलाशे मौहूम के असीर कैदी परिंदे हों जैसे बेगू नह सब मगर रुत बदलती नहीं लम्हात, जस के तस और रिहाई.... एक उम्मीद मौहूम सी शायद ॥ असीरी की रुत बदलेगी एक दिन शायद.... कोई राहरू-ओ-राहबर आएगा फिर नज़र लेकिन रुत बदलती नहीं शाम ढलती नहीं सूरज आता नहीं अब नज़र क्यूंकि सब के सब जकड़े हुए एक ज़ंजीर में ॥ यहया इब्राहीम

SPEAK Speak, your lips are free Speak, the tongue is still yours Your well shaped body is yours Speak, the life is still yours! See! In the shop of ironsmith flames are coming up,iron is red the jaws of locks are opening the paws of every fetter are widening. Speak! This little time is enough .... before the death of the body and the tongue. Speak! The truth is still alive. Speak! What do you want to convey ... Express! (a free translation of Faiz's poem 'BOL' )