शिकस्त (Defeat)

शिकस्त

दीवार पे महज़ एक तस्वीर बन रहगये हम जिसे बिना एक नज़र देखे ही गुज़र जाना चाहते हो,

कल तक तो तुम्हारे जीने का ज़रिया थे हम, तो आज जीते-जी क्यों मर जाना चाहते हो?

जो मोहब्बत में मोती पिरोये थे हमने,

वो धागा उधड़ के क्यों बिखर जाना चाहते हो? 

मुसलसल जो वादे किये तुमने इश्क़ में,

उन लफ़्ज़ों की रूह से क्यों मुकर जाना चाहते हो?

ये ख़ामोशियों का सिलसिला, जो छुपा था, ढका था,

वो पर्दा गिरा के क्यों अकेले ही निखर जाना चाहते हो?

 मदरसों में क्यों सिखाये नहीं जाते बेवफाई के सलीके,

आखिर वो कौनसी नज़रें हैं जिनमें डूब मिट मर जाना चाहते हो?

जब राह के मुसाफिर बन न सके तुम,

तो इश्क़ के जनाज़े में होकर शामिल क्या साबित तुम कर जाना चाहते हो?

English Translation

Defeat

I am but a mere photograph hung on the wall, you’ll pass the wall without glancing at me once,

I was your means to live until yesterday, why do you want to lose your will to live today?

The pearls of love we strung together,

Why do you want to break the thread and dismember?

The vows you made of an eternal love,

Why retract from the soul of those words now?

The chain of silences which were hidden and veiled,

Why do you want to raise that curtain and shine alone?

Why don’t they teach the rules of infidelity at madrasa?

Whose gaze do you want to drown and die in?

When you couldn’t be my traveler/partner on this journey of life,

Then why bother being a part of our love’s corpse last walk?