Sunday, July 17, 2011

I don't love you .....

I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz,
or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off.
I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,
in secret, between the shadow and the soul.

I love you as the plant that never blooms
but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers;
thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance,
risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.

I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.
I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;
so I love you because I know no other way than this:

where I does not exist, nor you,
so close that your hand on my chest is my hand,
so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep.

Pablo Neruda

Friday, July 1, 2011

IBN E INSHA

The Poet: Sher Muhammad Khan شیر محمد خان, pen name: ابنِ انشا Ibne Insha (takhallus: Insha انشا ) was born in tehsil Phillaur of Jalandhar district, Punjab, India, in 1927. He had started writing poetry in his school years. He started his career as a translator with the All India Radio. He did his Bachelors from the Punjab University, Lahore, in 1946. At the time of partition of India in 1947, he opted to stay in Pakistan. He did his Masters from the Karachi University in 1953. He worked for various departments in Pakistan, including the National Book Centre, the Ministry of Culture, and the Radio Pakistan. He also served at the United Nations and visited various countries. He was diagnosed with a Lymphoma and passed away in London, UK, on 11 January 1978.

Inbe Insha wrote both poetry and prose in Urdu. He used to write regular columns for the Urdu newspapers Jang جنگ (harf-o hikaayat حرف و حکایت ) and Imroz امروز . His travelogues include, aawaara gard ki diary آوارہ گرد کی ڈایری , dunya gol hai دنیا گول ہے , ibn-e batoota key taaqub mein ابن بطوطہ کے تعاقب میں , chaltey ho to cheen ko chaliye چلتے ہو تو چین کو چلیۓ , and nagri nagri phira musaafir نگری نگری پھرا مسافر . He also wrote humor and his books are: urdu ki aakhri kitaab اردو کی آخری کتاب and khumaar-e gandam خمارـ گندم . His collections of Urdu poetry include chaand nagar چاند نگر , iss basti key ik koochey mein اس بستی کے اک کوچے میں , and dil-e vehshi دل ـ وحشی .

The Singer: Ustad Amanat Ali Khan استاد امانت علی خان was born in Patiala, Punjab, India, in 1922. His father was Akhtar Hussain Khan اختر حسین خان , and his grandfather was Ali Bakhsh Khan علی بخش خان , founder of the Patiala Gharana (family) پٹیالہ گھرانہ of musicians. He moved to Lahore, Pakistan, after the partition of India in 1947. Two of his brothers, Ustad Fateh Ali Khan, and Hamid Ali Khan are also very popular. He was awarded the Pride of Performance Award تمغۂ حسن ـ کارکردگی by the Government of Pakistan. He passed away in Lahore in 1974. His son Asad Amanat Ali Khan followed his footsteps, but he also passed away at a young age.

In the ghazal uploaded here, Ibne Insha is talking to himself and is saying of moving on from the city. It has been very popular since early 1970s, perhaps since Ustad Amanat Ali Khan passed away shortly afterward in 1974 and Ibne Insha also passed away in 1978.
Courtesy:
خاموش تماشائی

(KhamoshTamashai)..... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcDJe6CpD8k