The evening of seperation came upon me and passed on, there was just my broken heart which somehow stuck together and there was my tottering life that somehow didn't fall.

And in the assembly of these thoughts,as my body is set on fire to light the rooms of the night, clear pain as translucnet as a bright moon has somehow risen over the dusks of this exile.

And when I remembered you, all my mornings became perfumed and when you flowed through me like blood, all my nights flapped like clean wrung clothes hanging on straight lines.

I tell myself that I should wipe my heart clean but when it's time to confess, words change without violition into something different, of unwillingess to forget you.

And where have all the travellers of the night gone, O Faiz, and where was the breeze left behind and when did the morning vanish into this endless night that came after the evening.

that evening of seperation that came upon me and passed on, there was just my broken heart which somehow stuck together and there was my tottering life that somehow didn't fall.

2002:12:01 20:30 Atlanta

My translation of Faiz Ahmed Faiz's ghazal: "shaam-e-firaaq ab na puuchh aaii aur aake Tal gaii". It describes my desolate state of heart and mind this evening. Hope others are more peaceful and more at rest that I am.

[1] Some relationships have no names and some are just for namesake! And even after a relationship ends sometimes it still exists as someone's name, sometimes it still exists as someone's name.

[2] I thought this Life was mine and that I was Life's own. I dreamt that I would shatter all goblets of wine, then I dreamt that I would drink from your palms. What strange thoughts I had! What strange dreams!

[3] Today no leaves fall, the season is taking a break. Today no tears are shed. my eyes are taking a break.

There wasn't a sound of a door opening or the sound of your feet leaving, going away. How do you come and how do you leave?

And when the tamarind tree sways in the wind, its shadows move over the brick wall as if someone had sprinkled water on parched earth. Sun is high in the horizon and heat shimmers.

When do you come and when do you leave?

In a closed room, on occasions, When the lamp flickers On the wall I see a huge shadow That seems to intently stare at me, Distant eyes seem to peer at me.

When do you come and when do you leave?

Translated from Hindustani