I am always surprised by the diversity of emotions that Faiz sahib’s poetry can evoke, from the socialistic to the (purely) romantic; but always, i feel through a way that paints pictures in your head, that evokes not just your interpretations of the words he chooses, but brings to life atmospheric imagery that lends itself so well to ghazal gaaiki.
na gul khile hai.n, na unase mile, na mai pii hai
ajiib rang me.n ab ke bahaar guzarii hai
Filed: Poetry & not tagged — The OB Van @ 11:08 pm
Lift not the painted veil which those who live
Call Life: though unreal shapes be pictured there,
And it but mimic all we would believe
With colours idly spread,–behind, lurk Fear
And Hope, twin Destinies; who ever weave
Their shadows, o’er the chasm, sightless and drear.
I knew one who had lifted it–he sought,
For his lost heart was tender, things to love,
But found them not, alas! nor was there aught
The world contains, the which he could approve.
Through the unheeding many he did move,
A splendour among shadows, a bright blot
Upon this gloomy scene, a Spirit that strove
For truth, and like the Preacher found it not.
Shelley
Filed: Music, Poetry & not tagged — The OB Van @ 11:32 pm
An interesting poem by Sahir with an meter that is reminiscent of Ghalib’s very lyrical style, but somehow also reminds me for some reason of Momin Khan Momin’s, kabhi hum bhi tum bhi..
Sung by Mohd. Rafi for Guru Dutt’s pyaasa - Indian cinema at its very acme, as it straddled the best of its own past and present..
ta.ng aa chuke hai.n kash-ma-kash-e-zindagii se ham
Thukaraa naa de.n jahaa.N ko kahii.n bedilii se ham
maayuusii-e-ma’al-e-mohabbat naa puuchhiye
apano.n se pesh aaye hai.n begaanagii se ham
[ma’al=consequence]
lo aaj hamane to.D diyaa rishtaa-e-ummiid
lo ab kabhii gilaa naa kare.nge kisii se ham
ubhare.nge ek baar abhii dil ke val-vale
go dab gaye hai.n baar-e-Gam-e-zindagii se ham
gar zindagii me.n mil gaye phir ittafaaq se
puuchhe.nge apanaa haal terii bebasii se ham
allaah re fareb-e-masahiiyat ke aaj tak
duniyaa ke zulm sahate rahe Khaamoshii se ham
[masahiiyat=God’s will]
ham Gam-zadaa hai.n laaye kahaa.N se Khushii ke giit
de.nge wahii jo paaye.nge is zindagii se ham
The point is, ladies and gentlemen, that: Greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right; greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms, greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge — has marked the upward surge of mankind ..
Gordon Gekko, from Oliver Stone’s gritty portrayal of Wall Street and the world of the 1980s corporate raiders in in, Wall Street.
Filed: Music, Poetry & not tagged — The OB Van @ 7:32 pm
kis se poocheiN humm ne kahaaN wo chehra-e-raushan deikha hai
mahfil mahfil DhooNdh chuk’e haiiN gulshan gulshan deikha hai
kisko deikheiN kisko na deikheiN phool bhi haiN kaliyaaN bhi magar
jis se lagaai aaNkh usi ko dil ka dushman deikha hai
rang-e-bahaar-e-subh-e-gulistaaN kya deikh’e wo deewaana
jis ki nazar ne eik hi gul meiN saara gulshan deikha hai
ahl-e-wafa ke Khoon ki chheeNTeiN dooR tak uRhkar jaati haiN
meira taRhapna deikhnewaal’e apna bhi daaman deikha hai
aaj unheiN jo chaah’e samajh lo warna yahi Taskeen* haiN jinheiN
kal tak humm ne koo’e butaaN meiN Khaak ba daaman deikha hai
I love how Akhtari Begum was able to infuse this this pondering, unhurried pace to ghazals, so it never seems like its rushing past you. Wonderful stuff.
Ibn-e-Insha’s poem, insha jee aab uttho, which saw the three men most closely associated with it (the poet and both Amanat Ali Khan and his son, Asad Amanat Ali Khan, who rendered it widely) die untimely deaths has been placed in a somewhat macabre context and its hard to shake of tang of irony as you read it..
Insha jee utho ab kooch karo, iss shehar maiN jee koe lagaana kya
Vehshee koe sakooN say kya matlab, jogee ka nagar maiN thekaana kya
Pher hijar kee lumbee raat yahaN, sanjoog key toe bus aik ghaRhee
Joe dil maiN hay, lub par Aanay doe, sharmana kya, ghabrana kya
Iss dil kay dareeda daaman maiN, dekho toe sahee, socho toe sahee
Jiss jholee maiN saw chaid hou’ay uss jholee ka phelaana kya
Shub guzree, chaand bhee doob gaya, zanjeer paRee darvaazay par
KyuN dair ga’ay ghar Aa’ay hoe, sajnee say karo gay bahaana kya
Rehtay hoe joe hum say door bohat, majboor hoe tum, majboor bohat
Hum samjhoN ka samjhaana kya, hum behloN ka behlaana kya
Jub shehar kay loag na rasta daiN, kyuN bun maiN na jaa bus raam karaiN
DeevanoN key see na baath karay toe aur karay deevaana kya
