sher-imdad-ali ka meDak
magar tañg-nazar
maTiyāle tālāb meñ
us adh-khile kañval par
vo bahār thī
jo dekhne vaalī āñkhoñ meñ dhanak khilātī hai
phir paanī kā bulāvā alag thā
Sher Imdad Ali's Frog
is sāhirāna kashish se haar kar
apnā tahmad utaar kar
vo murda paanī meñ kuud paḌe
jal-ku.mbhī se uljhe
to hafte ashre ke hamal ke mānind
narm aur ḳhaam saroñ vaale
gul guthne
(sadākār meDakoñ ke
dum-dār bachche)
shark lahroñ ke shor
se Dar ke
farfar har taraf bhaag khaḌe hue
aur sher-imdād-alī galle galle paanī meñ the
aur kañval duur thaa....
But in the narrow-looking
muddy pond
that half open lotus
radiant with Spring
flashed rainbows in perceptive eyes
and then, the allure of the water!
Giving in to this magic pull
shedding his skimpy clothes
he leaped into dead water,
tangled in water weeds
bijlī chamkī
aur ek dum-dār āb-ḳhor
us ġhubāre kī sur.at se
jis meñ havā bharī ho
aur haath se chhūT jaa.e
chhipkilī kī talvār zabān kī tarah
san san kartā huā
un ke khule muñh kī surañg meñ utar gayā
Like week-old fetuses
with their soft unripe heads,
the flaccid squishy
long-tailed children
of the noisy frogs
fearing the sound of the shark waves
fled, plop-plop, in every direction.
And Sher Imdad Ali was in the water
up to his neck
and the lotus was far away.
din guzre
aur mausam badle
aur jug biit ga.e
Lightning flashed
and one long-tailed water-child
rushed up like a blown-up balloon
that slips out of your hand
flashed like a lizard's sword-tongue
whistled through the air
popped down the tunnel of his mouth
ik āvāz ta.āqub kartī rahtī hai:
''bāhar aane do
is zindāñ se bāhar aane do''
darjanoñ Doctroñ aur sarjanoñ ke
xray kī ḳhunuk shuāoñ se
jal kar dekh liyā
shahr badal kar
mulk badal kar dekh liyā
magar lahū meñ
vahī sadā halkore letī hai
''bāhar aane do
is zindāñ se bāhar aane do''
Days passed
seasons changed
ages ended.
A voice kept following him
'Let me out,
let me out of this prison!'
He tried burning himself
in the cool X-rays
of dozens of doctors and surgeons
He tried
changing his city
changing his country
But the same voice rippled in his blood
'Let me out,
let me out of this prison!
Sher Imdad Ali
having violated
the water's trust
was locked up in his house
Outside, the water surrounded him
and stood, and stayed.
sher-imdād-alī paanī kī amānat ġhasb kiye
apne ghar meñ zanjīr hue baiThe haiñ
bāhar paanī khaḌā hai
aur paanī meñ
pīpal ke pattoñ kī tarah
saale
ḳhashmagīñ āñkhoñ vaale
piile piile meDak
apnā gherā Daale
paḌe hue haiñ
And in the water, like pipal leaves
angry-eyed,
the bastards,
the yellow yellow frogs
camped
keeping the siege.
magar tang-nazar
maTiyale talab mein
us adh-khile kanwal par
wo bahaar thi
jo dekhne wali aankhon mein dhanak khilati hai
phir pani ka bulawa alag tha
Sher Imdad Ali's Frog
is sahirana kashish se haar kar
apna tahmad utar kar
wo murda pani mein kud paDe
jal-kumbhi se uljhe
to hafte ashre ke hamal ke manind
narm aur KHam saron wale
gul guthne
(sadakar meDakon ke
dum-dar bachche)
shark lahron ke shor
se Dar ke
farfar har taraf bhag khaDe hue
aur sher-imdad-ali galle galle pani mein the
aur kanwal dur tha
But in the narrow-looking
muddy pond
that half open lotus
radiant with Spring
flashed rainbows in perceptive eyes
and then, the allure of the water!
Giving in to this magic pull
shedding his skimpy clothes
he leaped into dead water,
tangled in water weeds
bijli chamki
aur ek dum-dar aab-KHor
us ghubare ki surat se
jis mein hawa bhari ho
aur hath se chhuT jae
chhipkili ki talwar zaban ki tarah
san san karta hua
un ke khule munh ki surang mein utar gaya
Like week-old fetuses
with their soft unripe heads,
the flaccid squishy
long-tailed children
of the noisy frogs
fearing the sound of the shark waves
fled, plop-plop, in every direction.
And Sher Imdad Ali was in the water
up to his neck
and the lotus was far away.
din guzre
aur mausam badle
aur jug bit gae
Lightning flashed
and one long-tailed water-child
rushed up like a blown-up balloon
that slips out of your hand
flashed like a lizard's sword-tongue
whistled through the air
popped down the tunnel of his mouth
ek aawaz taaqub karti rahti hai:
bahar aane do
is zindan se bahar aane do
darjanon Doctron aur sarjanon ke
xray ki KHunuk shuaon se
jal kar dekh liya
shahr badal kar
mulk badal kar dekh liya
magar lahu mein
wahi sada halkore leti hai
bahar aane do
is zindan se bahar aane do
Days passed
seasons changed
ages ended.
A voice kept following him
'Let me out,
let me out of this prison!'
He tried burning himself
in the cool X-rays
of dozens of doctors and surgeons
He tried
changing his city
changing his country
But the same voice rippled in his blood
'Let me out,
let me out of this prison!
Sher Imdad Ali
having violated
the water's trust
was locked up in his house
Outside, the water surrounded him
and stood, and stayed.
sher-imdad-ali pani ki amanat ghasb kiye
apne ghar mein zanjir hue baiThe hain
bahar pani khaDa hai
aur pani mein
pipal ke patton ki tarah
sale
KHashmagin aankhon wale
pile pile meDak
apna ghera Dale
paDe hue hain
And in the water, like pipal leaves
angry-eyed,
the bastards,
the yellow yellow frogs
camped
keeping the siege.
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