For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.
Recitation
اسٹیل مِلز کا ایک خصوصی مزدور ۔ پروین شاکر
۱
کالا بھوت
جیسے کوئلے کے نطفے سے جنم لیا ہو
۲
ایک جہنّمی درجہ حرارت پر رہتے ہوئے
اُس کا کام دہکتی بھٹّی میں کوئلے جھوکتے رہنا تھا
۳
اُس کے بدلے اُس کو اُجرت بھی زیادہ مِلتی تھی
اور خوراک بھی خصوصی
اور ایک وقت میں چار گھنٹے سے زیادہ کام نہیں لیا جاتا تھا
۴
لیکن شاید اُس کو یہ نہیں معلوم
کہ خود کشی کے اِس معاہدے پر
۵
اُس نے
بقائمی ہوش و حواس دستخت کیے تھے
اِس بھٹی کا ایندھن دراصل وہ خود ہے
स्टील मिल्ज़ का एक ख़ुसूसी मज़दूर – परवीन शाकिर
१
काला भूत
जैसे कोएले के नुत्फ़े से जनम लिया हो
२
एक जहन्नमी दर्जा हरारत पर रहते हुए
उस का काम दहकती भट्टी में कोएले झोंकते रहना था
३
उस के बदले उस को उज्रत भी ज़्यादा मिलती थी
और ख़ुराक भी ख़ुसूसी
और एक वक़्त में चार घंटे से ज़्यादा काम नहीं लिया जाता था
४
लेकिन शा’एद उस को ये नहीं मालूम
के ख़ुदकुशी के इस मुआहेदे पर
५
उस ने
बक़ा’एमी होश ओ हवास दस्तख़त किए थे
इस भट्टी का ईंधन दरअस्ल वह ख़ुद है
Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. parveen shakir (1952-1994), English literature and linguistics, correspondent, educator, Pakistan Civil Service officer. Prolific writer bringing new thought and new forthright, feminist style to urdu shaa’eri. An explicit expression of love by women was taboo until courageous poets like parveen shakir pioneered it. This nazm is about the plight of a steel furnace worker and is linked to ‘yaum-e mazdoor’ on the Theme Index page.
1
kaala bhuut1
jaise koe’le2 ke nutfe3 se janam4 liya ho 1.blackened apparition 2.coal 3.seed, sperm, pedigree 4.birth
A blackened apparition, as if it has been born of the seed of coal, is of the same pedigree.
2
ek jahannami1 darja2 haraarat3 par rahte huay
us ka kaam dahakti4 bhaTTi5 meN koe’le6 jhoNkte7 rahna tha 1.hellish 2.degree 3.heat, temperature 4.burning fiercely 5.furnace 6.coal 7.pour, stoke
Remaining in a degree of hellish heat, his task is to stoke coal into an already fiercely burning furnace.
3
us ke badle1 us ko ujrat2 bhi ziyada3 milti thi
aur Khuraak4 bhi Khusuusi5
aur ek vaqt meN chaar ghaNTe se ziyada kaam nahiN liya jaata tha 1.exchange 2.compensation 3.additional 4.diet 5.special
In exchange for this, his compensation was a little more and he had the privilege of a special meal and was not asked to work more than four hours at a stretch.
4
laikin shaa’ed1 us ko ye nahiN maalum2
keh Khud-kushi3 ke is mu’aahide5 par 1.perhaps 2.know 3.suicide 4.contract, agreement
But perhaps he did not know before making this suicidal contract …
5
us ne
baqaa’emi1 hosh-o-havaas2 dastaKhat3 kiye the
is bhaTTi4 ka eindhan5 dar-asl6 vo Khud7 hai 1.well balanced, controlled 2.awareness and knowledge 3.signature 4.furnace 5.fuel 6.in reality 7.himself
… that he in full control of his senses had signed this contract in which he himself was the fuel of this furnace.
parveen shakir (1952-1994), English literature and linguistics, correspondent, educator, Pakistan Civil Service officer. Prolific writer bringing new thought and new forthright, feminist style to urdu shaa’eri. An explicit expression of love by women was taboo until courageous poets like parveen shakir pioneered it. This nazm is about the plight of a steel furnace worker and is linked to ‘yaum-e mazdoor’ on the Theme Index page.
1
kaala bhuut1
jaise koe’le2 ke nutfe3 se janam4 liya ho
1.blackened apparition 2.coal 3.seed, sperm, pedigree 4.birth
A blackened apparition, as if it has been born of the seed of coal, is of the same pedigree.
2
ek jahannami1 darja2 haraarat3 par rahte huay
us ka kaam dahakti4 bhaTTi5 meN koe’le6 jhoNkte7 rahna tha
1.hellish 2.degree 3.heat, temperature 4.burning fiercely 5.furnace 6.coal 7.pour, stoke
Remaining in a degree of hellish heat, his task is to stoke coal into an already fiercely burning furnace.
3
us ke badle1 us ko ujrat2 bhi ziyada3 milti thi
aur Khuraak4 bhi Khusuusi5
aur ek vaqt meN chaar ghaNTe se ziyada kaam nahiN liya jaata tha
1.exchange 2.compensation 3.additional 4.diet 5.special
In exchange for this, his compensation was a little more and he had the privilege of a special meal and was not asked to work more than four hours at a stretch.
4
laikin shaa’ed1 us ko ye nahiN maalum2
keh Khud-kushi3 ke is mu’aahide5 par
1.perhaps 2.know 3.suicide 4.contract, agreement
But perhaps he did not know before making this suicidal contract …
5
us ne
baqaa’emi1 hosh-o-havaas2 dastaKhat3 kiye the
is bhaTTi4 ka eindhan5 dar-asl6 vo Khud7 hai
1.well balanced, controlled 2.awareness and knowledge 3.signature 4.furnace 5.fuel 6.in reality 7.himself
… that he in full control of his senses had signed this contract in which he himself was the fuel of this furnace.
