Ghazal by Khawja Mir Dard

Ghazal: Me,
translated by Chris Mooney-Singh and Savinder Kaur from the Urdu of Khawja Mir Dard
Transliteration of the Urdu original
Back to Bonehead Ghazals, 2005, Set Seven
Editor's Comments

Shuffling feet smash down, the world-dust flies around me,
years gone galloping, where did you dump, impound me?

Hey rose, pack up your petals and I will shred my nest
so the seller can't snip you, nor garden-workman hound me.

She resides without a word, behind my doors or pores,
while this feral-tongue is fire, jabbering to expound me.

A cold hand's caught this heart, a hand that has crushed stone.
A pure callousness and its burial fog have crowned me.

I remember how the orchard was a hideout for reflection.
And now? It's Sorrow Grove. Sad Corner, why compound me?

I've jumped up glad, astounded—hearing, at times—a sound,
but face to face, once love-stuck eyes—recant, confound me.

Minute by minute—see—the crumbling dust of Dard,
yet Khizr cleaves the sand-dunes—another way round for me.

Khizr: mythical figure of Islam: the desert guide, knowledge-bearer.
Can refer also to cannabis: the 'Poor-Man’s Heaven,' the 'soother of grief'.

Raundhe hai naqsh-e-pa ki tara khalq yaan mujhe,
Ai umr-e-rafta chhor gayi tu kahan mujhe?

Ai gul tu rakht baandh uthaaun main aashian,
Gulchin tujhe na dekh sake, baagh baan mujhe.

Rahti hai koi bin kiye mere taeen tamaam,
Jun shama chhorne ki nahin yeh zaban mujhe.

Pathhar tale ka haath hai yeh gaflat ke haath dil,
Sang-e-giran hua hai yeh khwaab-e-giran mujhe.

Kuchh aur kunj-e-gham ke siwa suhjta nahin,
Aata hai yaad jab ke woh kunj-e-dihaan mujhe.

Jata hun khush dimaagh jo sun kar use kabho,
Badle hai wohin nazren woh dekha jahaan mujhe.

Jata hun baske dam-b-dam ab khaak mein mila,
Hai khizr-e-rah Dard yeh reg-e-rawaan mujhe.