Political Poem: Rubina

When the need arises
the blood is set aflame
Blood-red blossoms bloom 
- Lal Singh Dil
(As translated by Nirupama Dutt)


What's in a name?
Nameless or name-more
would I still smell 
of a ruby-red rose? 

You know how often 
I get a second look
asking me to 
go back to Pakistan?

Hi, my name is...
Oh. Are you Muslim? 
Why did your parents 
name you that?

I would never want to give
my kid that kind of name.
It should be like an
international name.
Why don't you change 
your name?
At least when you
go to the field.

It's not a good time.

When is a good time 
To be 
from that community.  

Set fire to your
name before they set 
fire to you
or within you.

Comments

  1. Hey Rubina, i appreciate the concept behind your composing of this poem. The epigraph itself tells how could your poem develop. A intensified feel has been found after reading your poem..strictly based on political time.

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  2. Hello Rubina!
    Read this wonderful poem of yours again, such a powerful one!
    आप की तारीफ़ में मनीष शुक्ल का ये शेर--
    तुम अपनी बात कहना जानते हो
    तुम्हें लफ़्ज़ों की आसानी मुबारक!
    Yes, that's the hallmark of your poetry!
    Remembered the following Ghazal penned by Javed Akhtar--


    जो बात कहते डरते हैं सब तू वो बात लिख
    इतनी न अंधेरी थी कभी पहले रात लिख
    जिन से क़सीदे लिक्खे थे वो फेंक दे क़लम
    फिर ख़ून-ए-दिल से सच्चे क़लम की सिफ़ात लिख
    जो रोज़नामों में कहीं पाती नहीं जगह
    जो रोज़ हर जगह की है वो वारदात लिख
    जो वाक़िआत हो गए उन का तो ज़िक्र है
    लेकिन जो होने चाहिएं वो वाक़िआत लिख
    इस बाग़ में जो देखनी है तुझ को फिर बहार
    तू डाल डाल दे सदा तू पात-पात लिख
    जितने भी तंग दायरें हैं सारे तोड़ दे
    अब आँख खुली फ़ज़ाओं में अब काएनात लिख
    ~~जावेद अख़्तर
    Word meanings--
    क़सीदा= a poem in praise of someone, ballad
    सिफ़त= attribute, praise, quality; सिफ़ात= attributes, praises, qualities
    रोज़= day, daily; नामा= a letter, epistle, history, book, treaty; रोज़नामा= news paper
    वारदात= affair, events, incident, occurrence
    वाक़िआ= incident; वाक़िए= incidents; वाक़िआत= incidents (broader)
    बाग़= garden
    बहार= spring, bloom
    डाल= put in, branch; पात= leaf; 'मैं डाल-डाल तू पात-पात'= Hindi edium, it's English equivalent would be 'tit for tat'
    तंग= narrow, tight, poor, distressed
    दायरा= purview, circumference
    प़ज़ा/फ़िज़ा= ambience
    काएनात= the world, universe, created thing


    Many congratulations!
    Cheers!
    Jesus Loves You!

    ReplyDelete

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