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Recitation

آہستہ آہستہ ۔ پروین شاکر

۱

کُھلے گی اُس نظر پہ چشمِ تر آہستہ آہستہ

کیا جاتا ہے پانی میں سفر آہستہ آہستہ

۲

کوئی زنجیر پھر واپس وہیں پر لے کے آتی ہے

کٹھِن ہو راہ تو چھُٹتا ہے گھر آہستہ آہستہ

۳

بدل دینا ہے رستہ یا کہیں پر بیٹھ جانا ہے

کہ تھکتا جا رہا ہے ہم سفر آہستہ آہستہ

۴

خلِش کے ساتھ اس دل سے نہ میری جاں نکل جائے

کھِنچے تیرِ شناسائی مگر آہستہ آہستہ

۵

ہوا سے سرکشی میں پھول کا اپنا زیاں دیکھا

سو جھکتا جا رہا ہے اب یہ سر آہستہ آہستہ

۶

مری شعلہ مزاجی کو وہ جنگل کیسے راس آئے

ہوا بھی سانس لیتی ہو جدھر آہستہ آہستہ

आहस्ता आहस्ता – परवीन शाकर

१

खुलेगी उस नज़र पे चश्म-ए-तर आहस्ता आहस्ता

किया जाता है पानी में सफ़र आहस्ता आहस्ता

२

कोई ज़ंजीर फिर वापस वहीं पर ले के आती है

कठिन हो राह तो छुटता है घर आहस्ता आहस्ता

३

बदल देना है रस्ता या कहीं पर बैठ जाना है

के थकता जा रहा है हम-सफ़र आहस्ता आहस्ता

४

ख़लिश के साथ इस दिल से न मेरी जाँ निकल जाए

खिंचे तीर-ए-शनासाई मगर आहस्ता आहस्ता

५

हवा से सर-कशी में फूल का अपना ज़ियाँ देखा

सो झुकता जा रहा है अब ये सर आहस्ता आहस्ता

६

मेरी शो’ला-मिज़ाजी को वो जंगल कैसे रास आए

हवा भी साँस लेती हो जिधर आहस्ता आहस्ता

Click here for background and on any passage for word meanings and explanatory discussion. parveen shakir (1952-1994), English literature and linguistics, correspondent, educator, Pakistan Civil Service officer. Prolific writer bringing new thought and new forthright, feminist style to urdu shaa’eri. An explicit expression of love by women was taboo until courageous poets like parveen shakir pioneered it. Here she writes poignantly about the parting of ways between lovers.

parveen shakir (1952-1994), English literature and linguistics, correspondent, educator, Pakistan Civil Service officer.  Prolific writer bringing new thought and new forthright, feminist style to urdu shaa’eri.  An explicit expression of love by women was taboo until courageous poets like parveen shakir pioneered it.  Here she writes poignantly about the parting of ways between lovers.

1.sight, view 2.eye 3.moist, tearful 4.journey

The poet is talking about her lover.  It will be a lot of time before he sees my tearful eye (implying neglect, indifference), just like the journey over water proceeds gradually/slowly.  The reference to journey over water could also imply rivers of tears flowing and sight traveling over it slowly.

1.difficult 2.path, journey

There is a chain that pulls me back again and again.  If the journey ahead is difficult, then there is great hesitancy in leaving the house.  Should she leave him or get pulled back by the “chain” of hope that it will work out.  If she leaves him, the journey ahead is fraught, so leaving is difficult.

1.companion on the journey, partner

“thakna” – getting tired also implies losing interest.  Should she change paths, part ways or sit down.  Her partner is gradually losing interest.

1.prick, pain 2.familiarity, intimacy

The arrow of love/intimacy is being pulled out gradually.  She is afraid that along with the piercing pain her life itself may be “pulled out”.

1.rebellion, resistance 2.loss

She has observed that if the flower remains headstrong/rebellious against the wind, it stands to lose.  It loses its petals.  So, gradually she becomes more and more willing to bow her head, yield to the wind.

1.fiery temper 2.compatible

The relationship is complex, difficult and overly sensitive.  She has to be very careful.  It is a jungle where even the breeze has to breath slowly/carefully.  How can this be compatible with her fiery temper, independent nature.

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