If I speak for the dead, I must leave
this animal of my body,
I must write the same poem over and over,
for an empty page is the white flag of their surrender.
If I speak for them, I must walk on the edge
of myself, I must live as a blind man
who runs through rooms without
touching the furniture.
Yes, I live. I can cross the streets asking ‘What year is it?’
I can dance in my sleep and laugh
in front of the mirror.
Even sleep is a prayer, Lord.
I will praise your madness, and
in a language not mine, speak
of music that wakes us, music
in which we move. For whatever I say
is a kind of petition, and the darkest
days must I praise.
~ Ilya Kaminsky
دعائے سÙخنور
میں جو Ù„Ú©Ú¾ÙˆÚº Ú©Ûیں اÙÙ† مرگ رواں لوگوں پر
مجھ Ú©Ùˆ پھر جسم جو Øیواں ÛÛ’ کھلا چھوڑنا ÛÛ’
بارÛا Ù„Ú©Ú¾Ù†ÛŒ Ù¾Ú‘Û’ Ú¯ÛŒ مجھے ÛŒÛ Ù†Ø¸Ù… Ú©Û Ø¬Ùˆ
Ø§ÛŒØ³ØªØ§Ø¯Û ÛÛ’ یوں Ø³Ø§Ø¯Û Ø³Û’ ورق پر صاØب
Ûار کا ØرÙÙ Ú¯Ø±Û Ú¯ÛŒØ± عَلم ÛÙˆ جیسے
اور اگر ان کیلیے مجھ Ú©Ùˆ Ú©Ûیں Ú©Ûنا ÛÙˆ
تو مجھے ذات کنارے Ù¾Û ÛÛŒ چلنا Ûوگا
ایسے اک شخص کے جیسے جو بصارت کے بغیر
بھاگتا پھرتا ÛÙˆ کمرے میں مگر ایک بھی Ø´Û’
اÙس سے ٹکرا Ú©Û’ Ú©Ûیں ÛÙˆ Ù†Û Ú©Ø¨Ú¾ÛŒ رزق٠غبار
Ûاں میں رÛتا ÛÙˆÚº ØŒ میں پھرتا بھی ÛÙˆÚº گلیوں گلیوں
کون سا عÛد ÛÛ’ ÛŒÛØŸ میری صدا پوچھتی ÛÛ’
نیند میں رقص کناں اور کبھی Ûنستا Ûوا میں
اور پھر رÙوبرو آئینے Ú©Û’ Ûوتا Ûوا میں
اے مرے دیوتا ! ÛÛ’ نیند عبادت Ú©ÛŒ طرØ
میں ترے رخت٠جÙنوں Ú©ÛŒ یوں ستائش کروں گا
اÙس زباں میں جو مری ÛÛ’ ÛÛŒ Ù†Ûیں ÛÛ’ ØŒ لیکن
اÙس کا Ûر سÙر Ûر اک تال ÛÛ’ بیدار صÙت
ایسی موسیقی جو رگ رگ میں رواں ÛÛ’ اور ÛÙ…
اÙس Ú©ÛŒ Ûر تال Ù¾Û Ú†Ù„ØªÛ’ Ûیں ØŒ Ú†Ù„Û’ جاتے Ûیں
میں جو اس کی٠میں Ú©Ûتا ÛÙˆÚº دعا ÛÛ’ میری
دن Ú©ÛŒ تاریکی مجھے قابل٠تعری٠Ûوئی
اور میں اس دور Ú©ÛŒ تعری٠کیے جاتا ÛÙˆÚº
Original Poet: Ilya Kaminsky
ØªØ±Ø¬Ù…Û : الیاس بابر اعوان
Ilya Kaminsky was raised in Odessa, Ukraine. He arrived in the US in 1993, when his family was granted asylum, and published his first English chapbook, “Musica Humana” (Chapiteau Press, 2002) less than a decade later. A full-length collection, “Dancing in Odessa” (Tupelo Press), followed in 2004. Kaminsky was the editor of the Ecco Anthology of International Poetry (Harper Collins, 2010), and his poems have been translated into numerous languages. He was awarded the Yinchuan International Poetry Prize, and has been described as ‘a poetic talent of rare and beautiful proportions’ by Anthony Hecht.Â
Translator’s bio:Â Ilyas Babar Awan is a young poet and short story writer from Pakistan. In spring 2012, his first book of Urdu poetry, “Khaab-e-Diggar”, was published. He is based in Islamabad, where he is a university lecturer in English. He has published a number of translations, and also writes poetry in English.
Featured Artwork: “My Heart Skipped a Beat” by Mohsin Shafi.
