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.
1
aaj ki raat to sone ki nahiN hai jaanaaN
aaj ki raat hai tajdeed¹-e mulaaqaat ki raat
al’atash² kahte hue jism ki
paiham³ aavaaz
al’amaaN⁴ kahti hui roohi ki
be-chain sadaa⁵     1.renewal, re-affirmation 2.declaring thirst 3.repeated, constant 4.seeking protection 5.sound, cry
O, beloved, tonight is not a night to sleep. Tonight, is the night of re-affirmation of our meeting/union. It is a repeated cry of the thirst of our bodies. It is a restless cry of the soul, seeking refuge.
2
tez baarish ki duaaoN meN tujhe yaad kiye
ek muddat¹ se liye bojh dil-e Khasta² par
teri Khwaahish ka tere qurb³ ki aasaaesh⁴ ka
saath dekhe hue KhwaaboN ka nasha aaNkhoN meN
raat ke haath meN kya haath diya hai dil ne     1.long time 2.broken, wounded 3.closeness 4.pleasure, comfort
My heart has given its hand in the hand of the night i.e. I have invested a lot, I hold high hopes for this night. I have invested all my memories when I have remembered you during rains and carried that weight on my broken heart. I have invested my desire to feel pleasure in being close to you. I have carried in my eyes the intoxication of dreams we have dreamt together.
3
paauN paRte hi nahiN jaise zamiN par us ke
raushni kaisi rag-o-pai¹ meN utar aaii hai
duur tak sirf teri shakl² nazar aati hai
mere haathoN meN tere chehre ka be-daaGh³ kaNwal
taaza baarish meN to kuchh aur khila jaata hai    1.every fiber and muscle 2.face 3.unblemished
It is as if his feet do not touch the ground – he floats on air/walks on water. In anticipation of this night, light has descended into every fibre and muscle of my body. All I see is your face, as far as I can see. Your ublemished face like a lotus in my hands blossoms even more in this fresh rainfall.
4
meri aaNkheN
tere hoNToN ki nami¹ se sarshaar²
saari duniya se chhupaaye
teri baahoN ka hisaar³     1.moistness 2.satiated 3.encirclement, boundaries
My eyes lips satiated with your moist lips (kissing her eyes), hiding from the whole world that your arms fold/encircle me.
5
zahn meN ghoomta hai pahle-pahl¹ ka milna
aur phir raNg-e mulaaqaat ka gahra hona
aur phir milne ki Khwaahish ka samandar hona    1.first time
The image emerges in my mind, of that first meeting. And then the colour/nature of the meeting deepened. And then the desire to meet became like the ocean – vast and deep.
6
dheere dheere
kisi tasveer ke TukRe milna
jis ki tarteeb¹ ne do roohoN ka sambandh² kiya    1.arrangement 2.tie together, relationship
Slowly, gradually, all pieces (of the puzzle/picture) fell into place and their arrangement tied two souls together.
7
aur ye such hai
ke hairat-kada¹-e hasti² meN
ek pahchaan ka lamha³ bhi bahut hota hai
hum pe is lamhe ka kuchh qarz⁴ hai baaqi⁵ ab tak     1.house of wonders/miracles 2.life 3.moment 4.loan, obligation 4.remains to be fulfilled/paid
And it is true that in this miraculous life, even one moment of awareness/love is enough. We still owe an obligation to this moment (love is not yet fulfilled).
8
tan meN tan jazb¹ kareN
rooh meN rooh samoyeN
ke ye saa’at² hai tashakkur³ ke liye
reg-e-sahra⁴ pe utar aaii hai barsaat ki raat
aaj ki raat hai tajdeed⁵-e mulaaqaat ki raat     1.absorb 2.moment 3.thanks 4.desert sands 5.re-affirmation
Let us absorb body into our body. Let each soul merge with the other, (merge body and soul) because this moment, is a moment of thanks. This night of blessed rain has descended upon dry desert sands. Tonight, is a night of re-affirmation of love.