In his memorable 1974 poem ‘Dhaka say wapsi par’ (On Return from Dhaka), Faiz Ahmad Faiz, expressed his feelings on the separation of East Pakistan. Here is the poem in Urdu, a version in ‘Roman Urdu,’ a wonderful English translation of the poem by the late Agha Shahid Ali in his book The Rebel’s Silhouette, and a video of Nayarra Noor singing the verses with the passion and feeling that they deserve.
ham ke Thehre ajnabi itni mulaaqaatoN ke baad
phir baneiN ge aashna kitni madaaraatoN ke baad
kab nazar meiN aaye gi be daaGh sabze ki bahaar
khoon ke dhabe dhuleiN ge kitni barsaatoN ke baad
the bahut bedard lamhe khat’m-e-dard-e-ishq ke
theiN bahut bemeh’r subheiN meh’rbaaN raatoN ke baad
dil to chaaha par shikast-e-dil ne moh’lat hi na di
kuchh gile shikwe bhi kar lete manaajaatoN ke baad
un se jo kehne gaye the “Faiz” jaaN sadqe kiye
an kahi hi reh gayi woh baat sab baatoN ke baad
Agha Shahid Ali’s Translation
After those many encounters, that easy intimacy, we are strangers now –
After how many meetings will we be that close again?
When will we again see a spring of unstained green?
After how many monsoons will the blood be washed from the branches?
So relentless was the end of love, so heartless –
After the nights of tenderness, the dawns were pitiless, so pitiless.
And so crushed was the heart that though it wished it found no chance –
after the entreaties, after the despair — for us to quarrel once again as old friends.
Faiz, what you’d gone to say, ready to offer everything, even your life –
those healing words remained unspoken after all else had been said.
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