Thanksgiving III

withers away mother’s angelic Love
child grows, youth fades…to ashes
ashes assume with effort none
the colour of their surroundings
only to drift away, again

raakh jou ik shaan-e-beynayazi say
apna laitee

hai rang makaan kaa
(ekbar)
phir bikhar jaanay kay liyay

ashes
once vibrant memories
of discretions and indiscretions
mount of ashes
ever-persevering, pursuing.

yaadouN ki raakh
rakh ka anmbaar
anmbaar-e-bay-payaN
jakaR laita hai wajood kO
yaadouN ki raakh
ek shikanja-e-zeest

too many queries
orphaned by thoughts
too many thoughts
not in word prison

sawalaat jehud kay zindaaN maiN
mawara-e-lafz-o-khayaal
mooskurahatouN kay ta'a'koob maiN
sawalaat ki yalghaar
agar aisay...agar waisay...

queries, prisoners of deeds
free of words, thoughts
pursue the smile
thoughts sans feelings
feelings sans deeds
could have been...
should have been...

mooskurahatouN kay baiN jaari safar
aur zindagi ghota-zan
beh'r-e-tazab'zoob maiN

and here we are
with flooded memories
of discretions and indiscretions
footnotes in the continuing travail
between the smiles