“You Can Translate Everything But Poetry”. (Ezra Pound)
(1)
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I haven’t been destroyed, as I should have been –
It’s as if wind is holding me in its hands, and I haven’t been blown away
Perhaps I could have been useful to a widow’s daughter, but
Pathetically, I don’t constitute a decent dowery
I am telling stories to some kids, and suddenly they ask me,
“Why can’t I go to rescue the princess ?”
I don’t know what sort of devil it is who has got hold of me
That even amidst thousand problems I don’t perish
My relationship has been built with you in such a way,
That wherever I go, I remain with you
O Ali! The sunlight of my thoughts has touched my hairs with silver
But beyond this, I have nothing of the gold of that sun which is setting
Written by: Muhammad Ali Khan
Translated by: Nicholas Robertson
(2)
Lifepoint
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Oh, last breath to come out of my body!
I know
That after a few moments, you too will be out
In the air
But
Here is a little request:
That the passage between the inside of the body and its door
Attempt to remain within the body
Because that attempt is the only lifeline
With which I am going on surviving
Written by: Muhammad Ali Khan
Translated by: Nicholas Robertson
(3)
(Please, Click here to read the original)
If you want to know what is the pain of the words,
Then ask me
And if you want to know what’s living without love,
Then ask me
Everbody can weep with wet eyes, but
if you want to know how to weep with dry eyes,
Then ask me
When evening falls and no one comes back to the house,
Then in that house, what is there that comes alight ?
Ask me
In the waves of light, the eyes become blind,
And then what eyes can see ?
Ask me
Written by: Muhammad Ali Khan
Translated by: Nicholas Robertson
Copyright © 1998 Muhammad Ali Khan. All Rights Reserved.
