Vendetta

By Shayaan Khusro

 

You came with a horde,

Burnt a home,

And some more.

You slept well that night,

You thought no one saw you,

That no one could find you,

That you could get away,

And riot another day,

You were wrong.

 

Every day you greeted your family

Was a day I spent alone,

Every night you slept well

Was a reminder that you had to atone,

Every breath you took

Was a breath short from your life,

Every step you took to your home

Brought you closer to your doom.

 

And now here you are,

On your knees,

Begging for mercy

In the name of the deities

You think I believe in.

You even invoke humanity,

But did you have any

When you burnt my family?

 

You came with a crowd, didn’t you?

You thought they’d protect you?

Where are they now?

Where are your bannermen?

Where are your slogans?

That’s right,

None of them are here.

It’s just you, me

And my vendetta…

After Life

By Shayaan Khusro

 

After life, some say

Comes heaven or hell,

Some say yet another life

Among more to come,

While others claim nothing

But dust and abyss.

 

If eternal damnation is my fate then

Let your salvation be my respite.

If the cycle of rebirth is our curse

Then let’s meet again and again.

If dust is all that will be left of us

Let ours forever merge in soil.

 

For until death do us part

And after parting we will unite

This I promise you, my beloved.

सही डब्बे में फेंके

कविता:

जनाब अर्ज़ किया है, कि  

डब्बे में तो फेकता है हर कोई।  

डब्बे में तो फेकता है हर कोई।  

मगर आक़िल वो जो सही कूड़े को सही डब्बे में फेंके।

मगर आक़िल वो जो सही कूड़े को सही डब्बे में फेंके। 

काग़ज़, लोहे, प्लास्टिक को नीले डब्बे में डाले। 

छिल्के, गुठली, चिंगम को हरे डब्बे में डाले। 

क्यूंकि हर चीज़ की एक सही जगह है। 

क्यूंकि हर चीज़ की एक सही जगह है  

और कूड़े की भी अपनी सही जगह है।  

इसलिए सूखे को नीले में फेंके। 

और हरे में गीले को फेंके।  

वातावरण को बचाए। 

कूड़ा अलग करके, सही डब्बे में फेंके। 

कूड़ा अलग करके, सही डब्बे में फेंक।। 

– शायान खुसरो 

Transliteration

Janab arz kiya hai, ki 

Dabbe mein to fekta hai har koi

Dabbe mein to fekta hai har koi

Magar Aquil wo jo sahi koore ko sahi dabbe mein feke

Magar Aquil wo jo sahi koore ko sahi dabbe mein feke

Kagaz, lohe, plastic ko neele dabbe mei daale 

Chhilke, guthli aur chingam ko hare dabbe mei daale 

Kyunki har cheez ki ek sahi jagah hai

Kyunki har cheez ki ek sahi jagah hai

Aur  koode ki bhi apni sahi jagah hai 

Isliye sookhe ko neele mei feke 

Aur hare mei geele ko daale 

Vatavaran ko bachaye  

Koora alag karke, sahi dabbe mei feke

Koora alag karke, sahi dabbe mei feke.

-Shayaan Khusro

The Last Play

By Shayaan Khusro

How can I smile

When my heart is bleeding

How can I rage

When I am hollow within

 

How do I monologue

When words and thoughts

War with my feelings

 

How do I walk onto the stage

Knowing this is the last time

Knowing there’s nothing afterwards

 

How can I be brave

Knowing I’ll be remembered

For how this play goes

Unsure if it’ll be loved or hated

Knowing there’ll be no chance

To correct my mistakes.

 

I can’t, I can only act

Better than I ever have

And hope that this end

Is indeed a new beginning.

A Frame of Reference

By Shayaan Khusro

Three people stand in front of a wall,

Each admiring the wonder framed upon it,

And though the sight is one,

They disagree on what they see.

 

The youth tall, proud and eager,

Sees a patriot donned in uniform,

Return from the battlefield

Victorious over the foe.

 

The old man bent with cynicism,

Sees a boy turned machine

Return from slaughter, awaiting another,

Forever trapped in the cycle of hatred.

 

The woman smirks in bemusement

For she saw neither a hero nor a villain,

But a son return home,

When she lifted her brush.

Brick

By Shayaan Khusro

Picked a brick,

The Palace of Dreams fell,

O castle builder,

What did the kid ever do to you?

 

Also, check out the Urdu version.

Running Like the Wind

By Shayaan Khusro

Running like the wind,

Like there is no end,

Soaring like a falcon,

Roaring like a lion,

Beyond truth and lies,

My hands reached the skies,

To put it all in a gist,

Had the world in my fist,

None could stand in my ways,

Such were my childhood days.

वो भी एक आग़ाज़ है

साढ़े तीन के पाँच बजा दे

वो भी एक आग़ाज़ है,

पाँच के आठ बजा दे

वो भी एक आग़ाज़ है।

 

चालीस के तीस रह जाते

वो भी एक आग़ाज़ है,

बीस के इकतीस बन जाते

वो भी एक आग़ाज़ है।

 

जनवरी से मार्च टल जाए

वो भी एक आग़ाज़ है,

आखरी हफ्ते सारे आए

वो भी एक आग़ाज़ है।

 

हार में मुँह लटकाए बैठना

वो भी एक आग़ाज़ है,

जीत में खुशी फूले न समाना

वो भी एक आग़ाज़ है।

 

समय गुज़रते कुछ का साथ छूटा

वो अब भी आग़ाज़ है,

समय गुज़रते कुछ और आए

वो एक नया आग़ाज़ है।।

–शायान ख़ुसरो

 

Transliteration

Saadhe teen ke paanch baja de

Vo bhi ek Aghaaz hai,

Paanch ke aath baja de

Vo bhi ek Aghaaz hai.

 

Chalees ke tees reh jaate

Vo bhi ek Aghaaz hai,

Tees ke iktees ban jaate

Vo bhi ek Aghaaz hai.

 

January se March tal jaye,

Vo bhi ek Aghaaz hai,

Aakhri hafte saare aaye,

Vo bhi ek Aghaaz hai.

 

Haar mein muh latkaye baithna

Vo bhi ek Aghaaz hai,

Jeet mein khushi phoole na samana

Vo bhi ek Aghaaz hai.

 

Samay guzarte kuchh ka saath chhoota

Vo ab bhi Aghaaz hai,

Samay guzarte kuchh aur aaye

Vo ek naya Aghaaz hai.

-Shayaan Khusro

 

Translation

3:30pm turns to 5pm

That too is an Aghaaz,

5pm turns to 8pm

That too is an Aghaaz.

 

Thirty remain from forty

That too is an Aghaaz,

Which increases to thirty-one

That too is an Aghaaz.

 

January to March wasted

That too is an Aghaaz,

Everyone comes last week,

That too is an Aghaaz.

 

To mope about in a corner in loss

That too is an Aghaaz,

To exceed excitement in victory

That too is an Aghaaz.

 

With time some had to leave

They are still Aghaaz,

With time a few more joined in

That is a new Aghaaz.

-Shayaan Khusro

Hills Wrapped In Stars

By Shayaan Khusro

Among the foothills of Him,

Lie hills like any other

But less green from man’s touch.

But when the night sets in,

Bringing cold but no moonlight,

The hills wrap themselves in

A black shawl studded with stars.

Stars which shapeshift constellations

With every mile crossed.

The stars which flow in galaxies

In the valley between the hills,

Which will lead you home,

If you dare to dive into it.

Beneath The Red Moon

By Shayaan Khusro

Beneath the red moon,

Over Thar’s sand dunes,

As men shiver during the chilly night,

Shadows take flight,

Men roam the streets with naked swords,

Out there to protect their wards,

Mothers tuck their children sound and safe,

Though they are themselves unsafe,

Travelers find no refuge,

For every guest is a suspect,

Temples and mosques hold prayers,

All day long,

Witches and warlocks perform rituals,

All night long,

For the shadows aren’t out for fun,

They are out on a hunt.