khoye hue KhwaaboN ki tarah-parveen shakir

For word meanings and explanatory discussion in English click on the tabs marked “Roman” or “Notes”.

کھوئے ہوئے خوابوں کی طرح ۔ پروینؔ شاکر

۱

گئے موسم میں جو کھلتے تھے گلابوں کی طرح

دل پہ اتریں گے وہی خواب عذابوں کی طرح

۲

راکھ کے ڈھیر پہ اب رات بسر کرنی ہے

جل چکے ہیں مرے خیمے مرے خوابوں کی طرح

۳

ساعتِ دید کہ عارض ہیں گلابی اب تک

اولیں لمحوں کے گلنار حجابوں کی طرح

۴

وہ سمندر ہے تو پھر روح کو شاداب کرے

تشنگی کیوں مجھے دیتا ہے سرابوں کی طرح

۵

غیر ممکن ہے ترے گھر کے گلابوں کا شمار

میرے رستے ہوئے زخموں کے حسابوں کی طرح

۶

یاد تو ہوں گی وہ باتیں تجھے اب بھی لیکن

شیلف میں رکھی ہوئی بند کتابوں کی طرح

۷

کون جانے کہ نئے سال میں تو کس کو پڑھے

تیرا معیار بدلتا ہے نصابوں کی طرح

۸

شوخ ہو جاتی ہے اب بھی تری آنکھوں کی چمک

گاہے گاہے ترے دلچسپ جوابوں کی طرح

۹

ہجر کی شب مری تنہائی پہ دستک دے گی

تیری خوش بو مرے کھوئے ہوئے خوابوں کی طرح

खोए हुए ख़्वाबों की तरह – परवीन शाकेर

गए मौसम में जो खिलते थे गुलाबों की तरह

दिल पे उतरेंगे वही ख़्वाब अज़ाबों की तरह

राख के ढेर पे अब रात बसर करनी है

जल चुके हैं मेरे ख़ैमे मेरे ख़्वाबों की तरह

सा’अत-ए दीद, के आरज़ हैं गुलाबी अब तक

अव्वलीं लम्हों के गुलनार हिजाबों की तरह

वो समुंदर है तो फिर रूह को शादाब करे

तिश्नगी क्यूँ मुझे देता है सराबों की तरह

ग़ैर-मुम्किन है तेरे घर के गुलाबों का शुमार

मेरे रिसते हुए ज़ख़्मों के हिसाबों की तरह

याद तो होंगी वो बातें तुझे अब भी लेकिन

शेल्फ़ में रक्खी हुई बंद किताबों की तरह

कौन जाने के नए साल में तू किस को पढ़े

तेरा मेआ’र बदलता है निसाबों की तरह

शोख़ हो जाती है अब भी तेरी आँखों की चमक

गाहे गाहे तेरे दिलचस्प जवाबों की तरह

हिज्र की शब मेरी तन्हाई पे दस्तक देगी

तेरी ख़ुश-बू मेरे खोए हुए ख़्वाबों की तरह

 

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 and especially of spurned by women was taboo until courageous poets like parveen shakir came forward. This is another poignant expression of her personal experience after a divorce that brought her sadness. It is linked to series of Ghazal with the radeef ‘ki tarah’ collected under the icon ‘dulhan ki tarah’ on the radeef-refrain page.
1
gaye1 mausam2 meN jo khilte3 the gulaaboN ki tarah
dil pe utreNge vahi Khwaab4 azaaboN5 ki tarah  
1.past 2.season, spring 3.blossom, bloom 4.dreams 5.calamities, torture
The dreams that used to bloom like roses during the past spring, will descend on the heart like torture now.

2
raakh ke Dher pe ab raat basar1 karni hai
jal chuke haiN mere Khaime2 mere KhwaaboN ki tarah  
1.spend 2.tents, shelter
I will have to spend the night on a heap of ashes tonight. The shelter/home that I had has burnt down like my dreams.

3
saa’at1-e diid2 keh aariz3 haiN gulaabi ab tak
avvaliiN4 lamhoN5 ke gulnaar6 hijaaboN7 ki tarah  
1.time of 2.seeing, looking at 3.face, cheeks 4.first 5.moments 6.red, rosy 7.shyness, coyness
When they first saw/met each other her cheeks flushed red with shyness. The still are rosy and it is still worth looking at them.

4
vo samundar1 hai to phir ruuh2 ko shaadaab3 kare
tishnagi4 kyuuN mujhe detaa hai saraaboN5 ki tarah    
1.sea 2.spirit, soul 3.slake thirst, fulfil 4.thirst 5.mirage
If he is like a sea, then he should give me fulfilment. Why does he make even more thirsty like a mirage.

5
Ghair-mumkin1 hai tere ghar ke gulaaboN ka shumaar2
mere riste3 hue zaKhmoN ke hisaaboN4 ki tarah   
1.impossible 2.enumeration 3.seeping, bleeding 4.count
It is impossible to enumerate the roses (joys) of your home, just like it is not possible to count my seeping wounds.

6
yaad to hoNgi vo baateN tujhe ab bhi lekin
shelf meN rakkhi hui band kitaaboN ki tarah   
Surely you must remember all that passed between us but like unopened books on a shelf.

7
kaun jaane keh naye saal meN tu kis ko paRhe
teraa me’aar1 badaltaa hai nisaaboN2 ki tarah  
1.standard 2.prescribed curriculum
This is probably coming from the point of view of an educator who has experienced arbitrary changes in curriculum. Who knows in the new year, which of those books (that have been sitting unopened on the shelf) you will read. Your standard changes like the arbitrarily changing curriculum.

8
shooKh1 ho jaati hai ab bhi teri aaNkhoN ki chamak
gaahe-gaahe2 tere dilchasp3 javaaboN4 ki tarah    
1.mischievous 2.occasional 3.interesting, witty 4.answers, conversation
Your eyes still sparkle mischievously occasionally like your witty answers.

9
hijr1 ki shab meri tanhaaii2 pe dastak3 degi
teri Khushbuu mere khoye hue KhwaaboN ki tarah  
1.separation, exile 2.loneliness 3.knock
During the night of separation, your fragrance will knock at the door of my loneliness, just like my lost dreams.

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 and especially of spurned by women was taboo until courageous poets like parveen shakir came forward.  This is another poignant expression of her personal experience after a divorce that brought her sadness.  It is linked to series of Ghazal with the radeef ‘ki tarah’ collected under the icon ‘dulhan ki tarah’ on the radeef-refrain page.
1
gaye1 mausam2 meN jo khilte3 the gulaaboN ki tarah
dil pe utreNge vahi Khwaab4 azaaboN5 ki tarah

1.past 2.season, spring 3.blossom, bloom 4.dreams 5.calamities, torture

The dreams that used to bloom like roses during the past spring, will descend on the heart like torture now.
2
raakh ke Dher pe ab raat basar1 karni hai
jal chuke haiN mere Khaime2 mere KhwaaboN ki tarah

1.spend 2.tents, shelter

I will have to spend the night on a heap of ashes tonight.  The shelter/home that I had has burnt down like my dreams.
3
saa’at1-e diid2 keh aariz3 haiN gulaabi ab tak
avvaliiN4 lamhoN5 ke gulnaar6 hijaaboN7 ki tarah

1.time of 2.seeing, looking at 3.face, cheeks 4.first 5.moments 6.red, rosy 7.shyness, coyness

When they first saw/met each other her cheeks flushed red with shyness.  The still are rosy and it is still worth looking at them.
4
vo samundar1 hai to phir ruuh2 ko shaadaab3 kare
tishnagi4 kyuuN mujhe detaa hai saraaboN5 ki tarah

1.sea 2.spirit, soul 3.slake thirst, fulfil 4.thirst 5.mirage

If he is like a sea, then he should give me fulfilment.  Why does he make even more thirsty like a mirage.
5
Ghair-mumkin1 hai tere ghar ke gulaaboN ka shumaar2
mere riste3 hue zaKhmoN ke hisaaboN4 ki tarah

1.impossible 2.enumeration 3.seeping, bleeding 4.count

It is impossible to enumerate the roses (joys) of your home, just like it is not possible to count my seeping wounds.
6
yaad to hoNgi vo baateN tujhe ab bhi lekin
shelf meN rakkhi hui band kitaaboN ki tarah

Surely you must remember all that passed between us but like unopened books on a shelf.
7
kaun jaane keh naye saal meN tu kis ko paRhe
teraa me’aar1 badaltaa hai nisaaboN2 ki tarah

1.standard 2.prescribed curriculum

This is probably coming from the point of view of an educator who has experienced arbitrary changes in curriculum.  Who knows in the new year, which of those books (that have been sitting unopened on the shelf) you will read.  Your standard changes like the arbitrarily changing curriculum.
8
shooKh1 ho jaati hai ab bhi teri aaNkhoN ki chamak
gaahe-gaahe2 tere dilchasp3 javaaboN4 ki tarah

1.mischievous 2.occasional 3.interesting, witty 4.answers, conversation

Your eyes still sparkle mischievously occasionally like your witty answers.
9
hijr1 ki shab meri tanhaaii2 pe dastak3 degi
teri Khushbuu mere khoye hue KhwaaboN ki tarah

1.separation, exile 2.loneliness 3.knock

During the night of separation, your fragrance will knock at the door of my loneliness, just like my lost dreams.