intezaar / the wait

shaam dhundhla gayi hai
jaise kisi ne suraj ko
phoonk maar kar bujha diya ho achanak

raat, aur uski or patange se khinchne waale
us chaand ka aana
baki hai abhi

mere badan ko choo ke
beh rahi hai hawa
aur meri ye khamosh lehrein,
bechain hain, hawa ki hi tarah

kab tu ayegi,
ghaat ki seedhiyan utar
kab main ek sanjeeda mehboob ki tarah
tere payal saje pair pakharunga

——

evening has turned grey
as if somebody
put out the sun, suddenly

night, and that moon
which draws to her like a moth
are yet to arrive

the blowing wind
is sweeping across my body
and these silent waves of mine
are as agitated as the wind is

when will you come
descending the ghaat steps
when will i, like an impassioned lover
wash your anklet adorned feet



ghaat is the stepped bank on a river or a water-well.
with permission from my sunset poetess aparna.

it was her, who while describing an evening at the banks of the river narmada, gave me the thought to write about a water-body waiting for the arrival of his beloved at dusk. i took her permission to take that experience and turn it into a poem for dee. this was sometime last year. i hope the time taken has been justified with this attempt.

17 Comments

17 Responses to "intezaar / the wait"