Open up your mind and your potential reaches infinity…

Archive for the ‘Poetry’ Category

…YET SO DIFFERENT


Words are soft, words are loud
Words express humility, words show proud
Words are refined, words get uncouth
Words sound different from different mouths.
…
Smile taunts, smile praises
Smile lets down, smile raises.
Smile with perfect teeth, smile with braces
Smile appears different on different faces.
…
Love is silly, love is smart
Love strengthens, love tears apart.
Love stays selfless, love is selfish from the start
Love feels different in different hearts.
…
Mind remembers, mind forgets
Mind takes pride, mind regrets
Mind thinks active, mind lays dead
Mind works different in different heads.
…
Life lives, life dies
Life laughs, life cries
Life gives up, life tries
Life looks different through different eyes.
…………………………………..

Ilmana Fasih

18 December 2010

(Completing an old incomplete one).

Category:

MY POETRY, Personal, Poetry

BABY DAYS…


You were a little angel, so soft and pure
Always so thoughtful, and so very demure.
You have no idea, how much comfort it still brings
To reminisce the touch, on my face, of your tiny wings.
You were so caring and kind, to whoever you knew
And got more genteel, the older you grew.
I knew from day one, you were my best friend
For you were a special gift that God, indeed, send.
You were unique, and so precious like a pearl
So fresh and pure, more than just my LITTLE GIRL.

You gave me a reason to laugh everyday
By the pranks you played, in your unique way.
Banging doors, climbing on the table, jumping off the bed
All scolds fell on deaf ears, no matter what was said.
The hell of life turned into a heavenly bliss
When you came running, to blow you a kiss.
While crying out loud, for your bruised knee
You wrapped your arms, for a bear hug, around me.
And the tears of pain, turned into laughter and joy
So off you ran,yet for another prank, my LITTLE BOY.

Category:

MY POETRY, Personal, Poetry

ALL THAT MEANS SO MUCH TO ME…


Dignified distances where proximity doesn’t need to be,
Is the true source of pleasure that means so much to me.

Caring blankness where expressions don’t need to be,
Is the true face of contentment that means so much to me.

Gratifying cries where laughs don’t need to be,
Is the true sight of comfort that means so much to me.

Comforting taunts where praises don’t need to be
Is the true sound of repletion that means so much to me.

Satisfying indifferences where attention doesn’t need to be,
Is the true sense of complacency that means so much to me.

Acceptance of realities where fantasies don’t need to be,
Is the true sign of maturity that means so much to me.

Understanding silences where words don’t need to be,
Is the true gift of FRIENDSHIP that means so much to me.

Ilmana Fasih
18 December 2010.

Category:

General, MY POETRY, Personal, Poetry

YOU


A poem for my dear husband Fasih on his Birthday:

If out of moments, I could choose one
and keep it throbbing in my heart too
Of all the times that I have seen,
I’d pick the moment, I met you.

If out of associations, I could choose one
and keep it recollecting, as truely true,
Of all the friendships that I’ve ever had
I’d pick the amity, that I had with you.

If out of emotions, I could choose one
and keep it aflame, as always new
Of all the vibes that I have felt
I’d pick my ultimate love for you.

If out of embarrassments, I could pick one
and keep it cherishing as one of the few
Of all the blushes that we have shared
I’d pick the one, when I said ‘yes’ to you.

If out of events, I could choose one
and keep it reminding, as heavenly too
Of all the years that we have spent
I’d pick the day, I tied ’the knot’ with you.

If out of rages, I could choose one
and keep getting haunted by its horrors too
Of all the angers that I have spewed
I’d pick the one, that first fight with you.

If out of places, I could choose one
and that kept us warm and cosy too
Of all the abodes that we have lived
I’d pick the little nest, that I built with you.

If out of farewells, I could choose one
and keep regretting how we bid adeau
Of all the bye byes that we have exchanged
I’d pick the one, when I moved ‘here’ without you.
If out of dreams, I could choose one
and wish to keep it alive, forever too
Of all the million wishes that I have made
I’d pick the one, of reuniting again with you.

MISS YOU!

Have as GREAT A HAPPY BIRTHDAY as you can have without us.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Category:

MY POETRY, Personal, Poetry

A TRIBUTE TO ALI SARDAR JAFRI


Ali Sardar Jafri was a (November 29, 1913 – August 1, 2000) was an Urduwriter, poet, critic and film lyricist from India.
“Ali Sardar Jafri was born in an aristocratic family in Balrampur, Uttar Pradesh, where he spent his formative years.
His early influences were Josh Malihabadi, lyricist Jigar Muradabadi and Firaq Gorakhpuri. In 1933, he joined Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) and soon got exposed to Communist ideology, subsequently he was expelled from the University in 1936, for ‘political reasons’. Eventually he graduated from Zakir Husain College (Delhi College), Delhi University in 1938, though his post graduation studies at Lucknow University ended prematurely following his arrest during 1940-41 for writing anti-War poems, and taking part in Congress led political activities as Secretary of the university’s Students’.
Ali Sardar Jafri married Sultana in January 1948.
Ali Sardar Jafri published his first collection of short stories titled, Manzil (Destination) in 1938, which started his literary career, and his first collection of poems, Parvaz (Flight) came out in 1944. In 1936, he presided over the first conference of Progressive Writers’ Movement in Lucknow, a stature he maintain for the rest of his life. In 1939, he became co-editor of Naya Adab, a literary journal devoted to the Progressive Writers’ Movement, and the journal continued till 1949.
Ali Sardar Jafri was involved in several social, political and literary movements. On 20 January 1949, he was arrested at Bhiwandi, for holding of a (now banned) Progressive Urdu writers’ conference, despite warnings from Morarji Desai, the Chief Minister of Bombay State; three months later, he was rearrested.
His important works as a lyricist include Dharti Ke Lal (1946) and Pardesi (1957) .
He is only the third Urdu poet to receive the Jnanpith Award (1997) (after Firaq Gorakhpuri (1969) and Qurratulain Hyder (1989) ). He has also been conferred Padma Shri in 1967, Gold medal from the Pakistan Government for Iqbal studies (1978); Uttar Pradesh Urdu Academy Award for poetry, Makhdoom Award, Faiz Ahmad Faiz Award,Iqbal Samman of the Madhya Pradesh government and the Sant Dyaneshwar Award of the Maharashtra government.
The Aligarh Muslim University had conferred a D.Litt. on him in 1986, fifty years after he was expelled from the University. His writings have been translated into many Indian and foreign languages.” (Courtesy:Wickipedia)

Some of the excerpts from his poems:

Ai watan khake watan woh bhi tujhe de denge
Bach raha hai jo lahoo abke fasaddat ke baad
(O my country, my beloved land we shall be most willing to sacrifice
Whatever blood is left in us after the bloodbath of riots)
– Awadh ki khak-i-Haseen

Ghareeb Sita ke ghar pe kab tak rahegi Ravan ki hukmrani
Draupadi ka libas uske badan se kab tak chhina karega
Shakuntala kab tak andhi taqdeer ke bhanwar mein phansi rahegi
Yeh Lakhnau ki shiguftagi maqbaron mein kab tak dabi rahegi
(How long will Ravan rule over the home of poor Sita
How long will Draupadi be deprived of her garment
How long will Shakuntala be enmeshed in the abyss of fate
How long will the freshness of Lucknow remain buried under the imposing tombs?)
– Awadh ki Khak-i-Haseen

Tu mujhay itnay pyaar say mat daikh
Teri palkoN kay naram saayay maiN
Dhoop bhi chaNdni si lagti hai
Aur mujhay kitni door jaanaa hai
Rait hai garm,PaoN kay chaalay
YooN dehktay haiN,jaisay aNgaaray
Pyaar ki yeh nazar rehay na rehay
Kaun dasht-e-wafa maiN jalta hai
Teray dil ko khabar rahay na rahay
Tu mujhay itnay pyaar say mat daikh

However, my FAVOURITE remains:
phir aik din aisa aayega
aaNkho key diye bujh jaayeNgey
haathoN key kaNwal kumhlaayeNge
aur barg-e-zabaaN sey nataq-wa-sadaa
ki har titlee uRh jaayegi
ik kaaley samandar ki tah meiN
kaliyoN ki tarah sey khilti hui
phooloN ki tarah sey haNsti hui
saari shakleiN kho jaayeNgi
kHooN ki gardish, dil ki dhaRhkan
sab raaginyaaN so jaayeNgi
aur neeli fazaa ki makHmal par
haNsti hui heerey ki yeH kani
yeH meri jannat, meri zameiN
iss ki subhaiN,iss ki shaameiN
bey jaaney huey, bey samjhey huey
ik musht gHubaar-e-insaaN par
shabnam ki tarah ro jaayeNgi
har cheez bhula di jaayegi
yaadoN key haseeN but kHaaney sey
har cheez uTha di jaayegi
phir koi nahiN yeH puchhega
SARDAR kahaaN hai mahfil meiN
lekin meiN yahaaN phir aaooNga
bachchoN key dahan sey bolooNga
chiRhyoN ki zabaaN sey gaaoNga
jab beej haNseiNgey dharti meiN
aur konpleiN apni ungli sey
miTTi ki tahoN ko chheRheiNgi
meiN patti patti, kali kali
apni aaNkheiN phir kholooNga
sar sabz hatheli par ley kar
shabnam key qatrey tolooNga
meiN raNg-e-hena, aahaNg-e-gHazal
andaaz-e-sukHan ban jaaooNga
rukHsaar-e-aroos-e-nau ki tarah
har aaNchal sey chhan jaaoNga
jaaRhoN ki hawaaeiN daaman meiN
jab fasal-e-kHazaaN ko laayeNgi
rahroo key jawaaN qadmoN key taley
sookhey huey pattoN sey merey
hansney ki sadaayeiN aayeNgi
dharti ki sunhari sab nadiyaaN
aakash ki neeli sab jheeleiN
hasti sey meri bhar jaayeNgi
aur saraa zamaanaH dekhegaa
har qissaH mera afsaanaH hai
har aashiq hai sardaar yahaaN
har maashooqaH sultanaaH hai
maiN aik gurezaaN lamha hooN
ayyam key afsooN kHaaney meiN
maiN aik taRhapta qatraH hooN
masroof-e-safar jo rahta hai
maazi ki suraahi key dil sey
mustaqbil key paimaney meiN
maiN sotaa hooN aur jaagta hooN
aur jaag key phir so jaata hooN
sadyioN ka puranaa khel hooN maiN
maiN mar key amar ho jaata hooN.
Remarkable optimism…
It made my Sunday worth while.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6DHc7AJuu4&feature=related

(PS.Thank you Shahid Akhter Bhai for remindinding me through your fb wall of this great Indian poet.It used to be a treat to hear him live during the Alami Urdu Mushaira in Delhi.)

Ilmana Fasih
5 December 2010

Category:

Poetry, URDU POETRY

Zia Mohi ud Din – Zindagi se darte ho


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jogt7Weu6pI&feature=player_embedded#!

Category:

Poetry, URDU POETRY

TO BE AND NOT TO BE


Be kind but not timid,
Be strong but not rigid.
Be thoughtful but not lazy,
Be different but not crazy.
Be proud but not arrogant,
Be firm but not impertinent.
Be witty but not mocking,
Be concerned but not stalking.
Be daring but not reckless,
Be coool but not headless.
Be hott but not injurious,
Be intense but not ferocious.
Be smart but not cheapy,
Be chic but not creapy.
Be stylish but not outrageous,
Be inspiring but not contagious.
Be awesome but not conceited,
Be accepting but not defeated.
Be as twinkling as a shining star,
But most of all, be the person you are…

Ilmana Fasih
18 November 2010

Category:

MY POETRY, Poetry, Social Issues, Women

Why Another Year to Live


High time I evaluate,

The purpose of my being.
Into another year I graduate,
Alive, with a dream of seeing-
“A world without a border”
Be the new world order.
And…
To stir ripples of ‘feeling’
To propogate waves of ‘caring’
To draw floods of ‘sympathy’
And a tsunami of ‘empathy’.
For millions who strife
For mere neccesities of life.
In a world with ignorance, disease and hunger
Aspiring to make a difference , until I linger.

Ilmana Fasih

18 November 2010

Category:

MY POETRY, Personal, Poetry, Women

EK SAWAAL by Iftekhar Arif


Mere aba-o-ajdad ne hurmat-e-aadmi ke liye,
Ta abad roshni ke liye,
Kalma-e-haq kaha.
Maqtalon, qaidkhanon, saleebon mein behta lahoo un ke hone ka ailan karta hai,
Woh lahoo hurmat-e-aadmi ki zamanat bana,
Ta abad roshni ki alamat bana.
Aur main pa barhana sar-e-koocha ahteyaj,
Rizq ki maslehat ka aseer admi,
Sochta reh gaya.
Jism mein mere un ka lahoo hai to phir ye lahoo bolta kyon nahin ?
Posted by
Ilmana Fasih
23 Nov 2010

Courtesy: Maria Naqvi

Category:

Pakistan, Poetry, Politics

LIVING A LIFE


Life is a fact,
Living is an art.
Upon us to act,
With choices called ‘smart’.
Neither with options ‘wierd’,
Nor should be feared.
But accept with grace,
The hardships we face.
Whether sweet or sour,
Are the grapes of life,
Stay who we are,
Without bitterness or strife.
Would rather not live,
Than leave my sanity.
More fulfilling to ‘give’,
Than ‘take’ for vanity.
Life’s road takes turn,
Brings lessons to learn.
With display of dignity,
We ascend to eternity.

Ilmana Fasih
10 November 2010
Dulles Airport, Washington DC.

Category:

General, MY POETRY, Personal, Poetry