basant is in the air, basant is here
sky a canvas of shimmering kites
voyeurs, participants packing rooftops
exuberance rubbing extravagance
willing joy over malevolence
halva puri and
sarsooN da saag with makaee di roti
gala formal dances, strip mujras
wine and tharra flowing unabashed
right beneath the minaret's shadow
who deludes whom is for whom to wonder

* * *

fault lines caused tsunamis globally
at sui
they gang up on my karachi sister
o’er in balochistan, in waziristan
they ignore the lessons of '71
while lahore celebrates basant
sipping single malts, smoking cohibas
the shah e sipah plays flute
under the shadows of marghalla hills
who deludes whom is for us to wonder


bansri bajao: bo kato

basant aaee hay, basant aaee hay
rang rangilian manao, bo kato
fizaoN maiN rang b'rangi patangaiN
zameeN per rang b'rangi titlian
kanni dO, paich laRao, bo kato

havelian, ball room jag m'gati haiN
pura shehar aaj nachchta jhoomta hay
aur nadiyaaN sharab ki behti haiN

a’jub haijaan hay kay khood faraibi
kaun day raha hay faraib yeh batao

* * *

fasurda kyun hota hay pagal
zina t'ri beh'n kay saath hua sui maiN
baat s’rif aik beh'n tak rehti tO shayad
khood apna hee mooNh hum kartay kala
balochistan ho ya waziristan,
meri beh'n ho ya kisi ki maaN
sub hee ko aashna bana rakha hay
meri is bahadur qaabiz fauj nay
woh dekho masnad per shah-sipah kO
oondhail raha hay kaisay jaam per jaam
aur saath hee baansri bhi baja raha hay

* * *

lagay haathOn mujh say sun'ntay jao
sat’r e awwaal nayay taranay ki
"pao ser zameen shaadbaad, kishawar e …"*