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. parveen shakir’s first degree was in English literature and she has re-composed a number of poems all linked to ‘English-urdu recompositions’ on the Theme page.
1
gahre paani ki chaadar¹ pe leTi hui jal-pari²
apne aaiina-e tan ki uryaaniyoN³ ke takallum⁴ se na-aashna⁵
mauja⁶-e zulf⁷-e aab-e-ravaaN⁸ se lapaT kar
havaaoN ki sargoshiyaaN⁹ sunte rahne meN mashGhool¹⁰ thi     1.sheet, surface 2.mermaid, nymph 3.nakedness 4.conversation, communication 5.unaware 6.wave 7.hair 8.flowing water 9.whispers 10.busy, absorbed in
In versions of Greek mythology, Leda is the wife of Tyndareus and is extremely beautiful. In parveen shakir’s rendering she is portrayed as a nymph lying in the shallow waters of the shore next to the deep sea. She is unaware of the message that her nakedness broadcasts and is absorbed in listening to the wispering wind. The imagery is that of a completely innocent scene, with no indication of what is to come.
2
naagahaaN¹
niilguuN² aasmaanoN meN uRte hue devta³ ne
zamiN par jo dekha
to parvaaz⁴ hi bhool baiTha
nazar⁵ jaise shal⁶ ho gaii
uRna chaaha, magar   1.suddenly 2.blue coloured 3.god 4.flight 5.sight 6.frozen
In versions of Greek mythology, Zues is struck by the beauty of Leda and seduces her by taking the form of a swan. The god flying in the blue sky, suddenly looking at the earth is Zues. His sight is frozen at what he sees; it is as if he forgets how to fly; he wants to fly … but …
3
Khwaahish¹-e be-amaaN² ne badan meN qayaamat³ macha⁴ di
magar vasl⁵ kaise ho mumkin⁶
keh vo devta, aasmaanoN ka beTa hua
jal-pari ka ta’alluq⁷ zamiN se     1.desire 2.unrelenting 3.tumult 4.created, caused 5.union 6.possible 7.connection
… created a tumultous storm in his body because of his unrelenting desire (because of what he saw on earth). But how could union be possible? He, a god, the son of the skies and the mermaid a creature of the earth!
4
so Khwaahish¹ ki ifreet² ne
aasmaaN aur zamiiN ke kahiiN darmiyaanoN³ ki maKhlooq⁴ ka roop⁵ dhaara⁶
bahut khaulti⁷ KhwaahishoN¹ ke talaatum⁸ se sarshaar⁹ niiche utarne laga   1.desire 2.demon 3.middle 4.creature 5.shape, form 6.adopted, took 7.boiling 8.storm 9.overflowing
The demon of desire took on the form of a creature of a region between the sky and the earth and overflowing with boiling desire began to descend to earth.
5
jal-pari
is qadar¹ doodhiya², Khushnuma³ hans⁴ ko
apni jaanib⁵ lapakte hue dekh kar muskuraaii
magar us ki ye muskuraahaT haNsi ban-ne se qabl⁶ hi chiiKh⁷ meN Dhal⁸ gaii     1.so much 2.milky white 3.beautiful 4.swan 5.towards 6.before 7.scream 8.cast
The mermaid, seeing such a beautiful, snow-white swan leap towards her, smiled but before her smile could break out into a merry laugh it got cast into a scream. parveen shakir begins with perhaps a scene of seduction in the first couple of misra, but the scene quickly changes to one of a violent rape.
6
us ka inkaar¹ be-sood²
vahshat³, saraasiimagi⁴, ajnabi⁵ phaRphaRaahaT⁶ meN gum ho gaii
aah-o-zaari⁷ ke baavasf⁸
mazboot⁹ par us ka saara badan Dhak chuke the
ujli gardan meN vahshat-zada¹⁰ choNch utri chali jaa rahi thi     1.refusal 2.useless 3.fear, terror 4.surprised, stunned 5.strange, unfamiliar 6.flapping 7.wailing and crying 8.inspite of 9.strong 10.terror causing
Her refusal useless; her stunned terror lost in the flapping of wings. Inspite of her wailing and crying, her body engulfed in strong wings; the fearful beak descending into her neck … such a delicate description of a violent rape.
7
us ke aaNsu
samandar meN shabnam¹ ki maanind² hal³ ho gaye
siskiyaaN⁴
tund⁵ maujoN⁶ ki aavaaz meN be-sada⁷ ho gaiiN     1.dew drops 2.like, similar to 3.dissolve 4.sobbing 5.strong 6.waves 7.soundless
Her tears dissolve in the ocean like dew drops. Her sobs drowned in the strong waves of the sea.
8
hans¹ apne lahu² ki dahakti³ hui vahshateN⁴
niim-be-hosh⁵ Khushbu ke ras se bujhaata raha
aur phir apne pyaase badan ki masaamoN⁶ pe
bhiigi hui lazzatoN⁷ ki thakan⁸ oRh kar uR gaya   1.swan 2.blood 3.fiery, glowing 4.madness, passion 5.half fainted, stunned 6.sweat pores 7.pleasures 8.fatigue
The swan slaked the fire of his glowing passion with the juice of that stunned fragrance and then with the pores on his body dripping with pleasure, wearing the cloak of his fatigue, flew away.
9
jal-pari
gahre niile samandar ki beTi
apni maftooh¹ aur na-muntazar² kokh³ meN
aasmaaN aur zamiiN ke kahiiN darmiyaaN⁴ rahne vaaloN ka
be-shajra⁵ o be-nasab⁶ virse⁷ ka bojh thaame⁸ hue
aaj tak ro rahi hai   1.defeated, conquered 2.not waiting, not expecting 3.womb 4.middle 5.without a (family) tree 6.ancestry 7.inheritance, legacy 8.holding
And the mermaid, the daughter of the deep blue sea, not expecting that her womb would be violated, left holding the burden of a legacy with no family tree nor ancestry, given to her by creatures of the region between the sky and the earth, is weeping to this day.

Leda and the Swan
William Butler Yeats

A sudden blow: the great wings beating still
Above the staggering girl, her thighs caressed
By the dark webs, her nape caught in his bill,
He holds her helpless breast upon his breast.

How can those terrified vague fingers push
The feathered glory from her loosening thighs?
And how can body, laid in that white rush,
But feel the strange heart beating where it lies?

A shudder in the loins engenders there
The broken wall, the burning roof and tower
And Agamemnon dead.
Being so caught up,
So mastered by the brute blood of the air,
Did she put on his knowledge with his power
Before the indifferent beak could let her drop?