Kehkashan

Taasub ki in lehroun mein
ansouon ki nehroun mein
dhounde raha houn mein
saughaat
hassas dil ke tarbon pe
khudgarz, berehm zarbon se
dhoundhe raha houn mein
silsila

Kyoun nahin chor, sakta mein
Is pinjare ko? dhoundta
Rahounga mein kehkashaan
dhoundta rahounga kehkashaan

--Usman Chohan, 2006

In the tides of prejudice
In these streams of tears
I look for
souvenirs
On the heart's sympathetic strings
with selfish, merciless strokes
I look for
Continuity

Why can I not leave this cage?
I shall keep searching
for an arc in the sky,
searching for an arc in the sky

--Usman Chohan, 2006