Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. faiz ahmed faiz (1911-1984) a poet of romance, resistance, labour leader, journalist, political activist, Lenin Peace Prize awardee writes with great finesse and delicacy using the beloved as a metaphor for the homeland and/or the socialist revolution. This is a part of series on “suKhanvar o suKhanvari” on the theme of what various shu’ara say about themselves, their verse, their mission and their place in history. There is a nazm of faiz called “shaa’er log” which is also a part of this series. In addition I have collected ash’aar from different Ghazal/nazm/qita and rubaaii for this post.
1
mata¹-e lauh² o qalam chhin gaii to kya Gham hai
ke Khoon-e dil meN Dubo li haiN uNgliyaN maiN ne
zabaN pe mohr³ lagi hai to kya ke rakh di hai
har ek halqa-e zanjeer⁴ meN zabaN maiN ne   1.possessions, treasure 2.page, writing tablet 3.stamp, seal 4.circle/link of the chain
The poet has been in prison. He has been denied any writing. His pen and paper has been taken away. He is defiant. He dips his finger in the blood of his heart to write. He is chained. His lips have been sealed. No matter. He has placed a tongue in every link of the chain that binds him!
2
darbaar meN ab sitvat¹-e shaahi ki alaamat²
darbaaN³ ka asaa⁴ hai ke musannif⁵ ka qalam hai    1.pomp, glory 2.indications, signs 3.courtier 4.staff 5.writer, poet
By posing a rhetorical question, the poet bemoans that the halls power are like a monarchy. The display or royal glory is through the staff/flag that the courtier carries. It is no longer circumscribed/checkhed by the pen of the writer/poet. The powerful have and display unchecked/absolute power.
3
hum parvarish¹-e lauh-o-qalam² karte raheNge
jo dil pe guzarti hai raqam³ karte raheNge
ek tarz⁴-e taGhaaful⁵ hai so vo un ko mubaarak
ek arz-e-tamanna⁶ hai so hum karte raheNge    1.nurture 2.writing tablet and pen 3.record 4.way, style 5.studied indifference/neglect 6.cry of demands
We (poets) will keep nurturing pen and paper i.e. we will keep writing. Whatever the heart suffers we will keep recording. Let them (the powerful) practise their studied indifference/neglect (of the masses). We will continue to raise our voice demanding justice. Of course the last she’r has a double meaning where the beloved is exercising indifference towards her lovers.
4
hamaare dum¹ se hai koo-e-junooN² meN ab bhi Khajil³
abaa⁴-e shaiKh o qabaa⁵-e amiir⁶ o taaj-e shahi
hamiN se sunnat⁷-e mansoor⁸ o qais⁹ zinda hai
hamiN se baaqi¹⁰ hai gul-daamani¹¹ o kaj-kulahi¹²     1.power, strength 2.street of passion 3.regret, shame, guilt 4.orthodox garb 5.royal robe 6.chief, king 7.sanctioned practice, accepted tradition 8.mansoor al-hallaaj 9.majnuN 10.remains 11.collecting flowers in the folds of the robe 12.rebellious slant in the cap
mansoor al-hallaaj was a sufi scholar who declared ‘I am the Truth’ and was considered a rebellious/unorthodox teacher. He was offered the chance to recant on pain of death. He refused and was executed. He is used as a symbol of rebellion against orthodoxy. Similarly, qais/majnuN is a symbol of mad/passionate love. It is because of us (poets) that there is a consciousness of guilt in the street of passion, the orthodox shaiKh, the robed chief and the royal crown. It is because of us (poets) that the tradition of rebellion (like that of mansur) and of passionate love (like that of qais) is still alive. We keep alive the tradition of gathering flowers (writing of love) as well as wearing a tilted/slanted cap (rebellion/protest).
5
bazm-e ahl-e tarab ko sharmaao
bazm-e ahbaab-e Gham ki baat karo
jaan jaayeNge jaan-ne vaale
faiz, farhaad o jam ki baat karo    1.assembly, society 2.people of luxury 3.shame 4.friends 5.pain, sorrow 6.farhaad of shiriN-farhaad story, symbol of love 7.jamshed, absolute power
Shame the society of the people of luxury. Talk/write/recite about the people of pain/suffering. Those who know will understand, O, faiz talk of the lover and the cruel monarch/powerful.
6
hai faqat¹ murGh²-e Ghazal-KhwaaN³ ke jise fikr⁴ nahiN
mo’tadil⁵ garmi⁶-e guftaar⁷ karuN ya na karuN 1.only 2.bird 3.Ghazal singing 4.worry 5.moderate, calm/tone down 6.heat, passion 7.speech, verse, recitation
The poet is the Ghazal-singing bird and is the only one who is not worried/fearful of consequences. He is wondering if it is time to tone down the passion of his verse.
7
javaab¹-e vaa’ez²-e chaabuk-zabaaN³ meN faiz hameN
yahi bahut hai jo do harf⁴-e saada⁵ rakhte haiN 1.answer 2.preacher 3.whip cracking tongue 4.words 5.straight forward
In answer to the whip-cracking tongue of the preacher, it is enough O, faiz that we have a couple of plain-speaking words.
8
dast¹-e sayyaad² bhi aajiz³ hai, kaf⁴-e gulchiN⁵ bhi
boo-e-gul⁶ Thahri hai na bulbul ki zabaaN Thahri hai
hum ne jo tarz-e-fuGhaaN⁷ ki hai qafas⁸ meN eejaad⁹
faiz gulshan meN vahi tarz-e-bayaaN¹⁰ Thahri hai    1.hand 2.bird-catcher 3.tired 4.hand 5.flower-picker 6.fragrance of the flower 7.style of protest 8.cage, prison 9.invent, create 10.style of speech
The bird-catcher and flower-picker are symbols of cruely in the garden/world. Not only do they put birds in cages and pick flowers, but the separate lovers (the bulbul and the rose). They keep doing it and their hands are tired but the fragrance of the rose and song of the bulbul cannot be stopped. The style of protest that we (poets) created from prison has become the common language in the garden (country).
9
hai dasht ab bhi dasht magar Khoon-e paa se faiz
sairaab chand Khaar-e muGhailaaN hue to haiN    1.widerness 2.bleeding feet 3.satiated, watered 4.thorns 5.acacia bush
The wilderness is still barren. It has not become a garden yet. There is still much injustice and cruelty. The poet/lovers wanders the wilderness in bare feet. His bleeding feet water/nourish/satiate at least a few thorny acacia if not grow the whole garden and make change.
10
halqa¹ kiye baiThe raho ek sham’a² ko yaaro
kuchh raushni baaqi to hai harchand³ ke kum hai    1.circle, surround 2.lamp 3.even though
faiz recited this in the last BBC sponsored TV mushaa’era a month or two before his death. Although, he said “ek” sham’a, I like to read it as “iss” sham’a – this lamp. Surround this lamp my friends (and listen). It has some brilliance left, even if somewhat reduced.