Bagh

Sun raha houn aik dholak, ka baj
Kaise karoun is ka ilaaj?
it ne rang dekh kar houn bimar
kar na paon mein intizaar
Kya Tun houn aur ye hai mehraj?
kya kar ra houn khud se mazak?
hua mera nasha istimal
hazar rang ka, mere bagh

Lajvardi neend se hogya pyaar
Narangi bhook se houn bimar
Zaitooni nang nahin nijaat
hazar rang ka mera bagh

--Usman Chohan. 2006

The dholak is beating in my head
How shall I find treatment for this?
I am sick of seeing all these hues
my patience is badly abused
Am I high and is this a mirage?
Am I playing tricks on myself?
my intoxication is well used
my garden is rich with a thousand hues

sleep is blue and
im in love with it
hunger is orange and
it makes me sick
nakedness is olive
and i can't escape
my garden is rich
with a thousand hues

--Usman Chohan, 2006