This poem was translated by Professor Carlo Coppola as part of the MULOSIGE Translations project. You can explore our collection of Urdu Poetry here.

Professor Carlo Coppola, Oakland University

K̲h̲vāhishen̲ / Longings

Longings

Covered themselves in sheets of red, yellow, and green

And woke up shivering and dancing;

The Indersabhā of the heart woke up;

The Blue Fairy of the heart woke up;

The topaz of the heart

Stretched itself in the wine glass;

The shadow of your forehead fell into the wine glass;

It melted;

The moonlight melted;

The red of your lips,

Your softness

Melted.

The night’s unsaid, unheard tale

Melted in the wine glass;

Longings

Covered themselves in sheets of red, yellow, and green

And woke up shivering and dancing.

.

From: Bisāt̤-i raqṣ (Dance Carpet). Ḥaidarābād, Inḍiyā: Istiqbāliyah kameṭī jashn-i Mak̲h̲dūm, 1966. pp. 216 – 17

             

Longings

Covered themselves in sheets of red, yellow, and green

And woke up shivering and dancing;

The Indersabhā of the heart woke up;

The Blue Fairy of the heart woke up;

The topaz of the heart

Stretched itself in the wine glass;

The shadow of your forehead fell into the wine glass;

It melted;

The moonlight melted;

The red of your lips,

Your softness

Melted.

The night’s unsaid, unheard tale

Melted in the wine glass;

Longings

Covered themselves in sheets of red, yellow, and green

And woke up shivering and dancing.

.

From: Bisāt̤-i raqṣ (Dance Carpet). Ḥaidarābād, Inḍiyā: Istiqbāliyah kameṭī jashn-i Mak̲h̲dūm, 1966. pp. 216 – 17