*main tumain kaha karta thaa -
“Frances, hamari umr bad rehi hai
saal jaldi se jaldi aa rehay hain
apnay jism ko mujh se
na chuppaaey rakho.
ek kanwaari nokraani budi hi hoti hai.”
jitni bhi tumain boohri umr se nafrat thee
boorhi umr hum dono ki
aista aista ho gayee.
Jawaani k din ab yaad bhi nahin aatay hain.
ab tum pachchtaati roti huee
meray pass bhaagti - bhaagti aatee ho
tumari puraani himmat nahin rehi kehti ho
ab tum khoosoorat nahin rehi kehti ho
fikr mat karo
hum ek dossray ki bahon main aa k
guzray wakton k mazay lay lain gay
jitna lay day sakaain gay, kar lain gay
aisa main sub kuch chahta thaa
ye nahin k yehi sub kuch chahta hoon.
-tr. Ravi Kopra*
form the following English version of Kenneth Rexorth.
The original is in Latin by Ausonius ( c. 310 - 395)
I used to tell you
I used to tell you, "Frances, we grow old.
The years fly by. Don’t be so private
…
(I am afraid to post the rest of the poem in English version
lest Amal Saheb comes here with his chamakti huee tez talwaar and slashes off
my post. But you can click at the link given below to read the poem.
http://whitewings.sulekha.com/blog/post/2007/07/main-tumain-kha-karata-thaa.htm)
JW - I’d appreciate your comments.