Category Archives: Poetry

Poetry

Yeh Sham Phir

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I found some fun translations of songs by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan like Yeh Sham Phir:

Yeah Shaam Phir Nahi Aaye Gi
this evening will not come back again

Kuch Na Kaha To, Kuch Na Suna To
if nothing is said, nothing is heard

Yoon Hi Dhal Ja’ay Gi
it’ll just pass away

Yeah Shaam Phir Nahi Aaye Gi
Yeah Shaam Phir Nahi Aaye Gi
Kuch Na Kaha To, Kuch Na Suna To
Yoon Hi Dhal Ja’ay Gi
Yeah Shaam Phir Nahi Aaye Gi
Yeah Shaam…

Aaj He Ker Do Dil Ki Baat Kal Pachtao Gay
talk about the heart’s affairs today or you’ll regret it

Aaj Agar Tum Paas Na Aa’ay Phir Kab Aao Gay
if you don’t come close to me today then when will you?

Yeah Pal Beet Gaya To Janam Kahan Jao Gay
if this moment passes then, my love, where will you be?

Tanhai Ka Dard Kabhi Tum Seh Na Paao Gay
you won’t be able to bear the pain of loneliness

Yeah Shaam Phir Nahi Aaye Gi
Yeah Shaam…

Dilruba, O Mere Dilruba
my love, oh my darling

Kia Kiya, Yeah Tu Nai Kia Kiya
what have you done!

Dil Mera Kiyoon Kahan Kho Gaya
why have i lost my heart

Pal Mein Kiyoon Tera He Ho Gaya
why did it become yours in an instant

Janay Kia Nasha Hai Teri Aankhon Mein
who knows what intoxication is in your eyes

Jadu Sa Bhara Hay Teri Baaton Mein
your words spell magic to me

Saansein Teri Mehki Meri Saanson Mein
your breath perfumes my breath

Teri Hi Jhalak Mere Khuwaboon Mein
all i see is you in my dreams

Tere Siva Hai Kia Dunya Mein Meri Jaan
there’s nothing else in this world other than you

Tu Hai Meri Zindagi.. Paas Aa
you’re my life…come closer

Yeah Shaam Phir Nahi Aaye Gi
Yeah Shaam…

Aaj Hum, Ay Sanam Aaj Hum
today we’ll…

Bhol Ker, Dunya K Runj O Gham
forget all the sadness

Yeah Qasam, Qasam Hai Pyaar K
this is a promise of love

Saath Hon, Saath Hon Her Qadam
we’ll be together every step of the way

Yoon Hi Teri Aankhon Mein Yeah Aankhein Hoon
with our eyes locked on each other

Chooti Chooti Pyaar Bhari Baatein Hoon
and whispering sweet nothings to each other

Bheegi Bheegi Rung Bhari Shaamein Hoon
there’ll be colorful moist evenings

Jaagi Jaagi Raatein Teri Yaadein Hoon
and nights lying awake thinking of you

Tere Siva Hai Kia Dunya Mein Meri Jaan
Tu Hai Meri Zindagi.. Paas Aa
Yeah Shaam Phir Nahi Aaye Gi

History, Poetry, Security

Kuito, a child’s map of war and infinity

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by Ana Paula Tavares in Lisbon, Angola

These children live free, while the clocks, jammed by bullets, are destined to repeat time, just as the to and fro of bells sounds the cycle of birth and death. They tame the silence, sowing laughter into the folds of day. There is still milk in their laughter, fermenting the hopes of an afternoon. Beyond the doors of houses, the children are exploring the labyrinthine walls. They have a key for everything–even to the stairs that they climb up to reach the sky, bared by a missing roof. They sleep on the ground, parched by bullets, under a sheet of stars that slowly descends until the light is eclipsed and night ushered in.

Interesting contrast. On the one hand I sense boundaries and depleted value in infrastructure, which succumbed to violent disagreement, while on the other a playful adaptiveness and growth that seeks to renew. Confinement versus access.

History, Poetry

Merched Llanbadarn

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gan Dafydd ap Gwilym (1320-1370)

Plygu rhag llid yr ydwyf –
pla ar holl ferched y plwyf!
am na chefais, drais drawsoed,
onaddun yr un erioed,
na morwyn fwyn ofynaig
na merch fach, na gwrach, na gwraig
py rusiant, py ddireidi,
py fethiant, na fynnant fi?

Py ddrwg i riain fewiael
yng nghoed twylldew fy nghael?
Nid oedd gywilydd iddi
yng ngwal dail fy ngweled i
ni bu amser na charwn,
ni bu mor lud hud a hwn
anad gwyr annwyd Garwy-
yn y dydd ai un a dwy
ac er hynny nid oedd nes
ym gael un no’m gelynes
ni bu Sul yn Llanbadarn
na bewn, ac eraill ai barn
a’m wyneb at y ferch goeth
a’m gwegil at Dduw gwiwgoeth.

More info on Dafydd here and here:

Dafydd ap Gwilym is recognized as one of the most innovative European poets of the Middle Ages. His refined and erudite verse introduced a unique brand of poetry into the turbulent society of Wales during the aftermath of its loss of independence. While drawing on the contemporary elements of bardic poetry, his themes of love and nature embedded in original metric forms was a revolutionary technique. Though his work is relatively obscure outside of Wales today, largely due to difficulties in translation, Dafydd is still recognized as a radical poet of great significance in his era.

Makes me long to return to Wales, or at least conjure up some native Welsh speakers to better understand.

Energy, Food, Poetry, Security

Ronald McHummer Site

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Here is a clever idea from a group that is protesting McDonald’s latest gimmick. It’s a sign you can edit yourself. McDonald’s apparently has adopted a “Hummer in every Happy Meal” policy, and some people think that sends the wrong message to kids.

Although the sign interface ate a few letters off the second line, this is what I came up with:

mchaiku

Er, that should read:

“Revealing fatty nuggets;”

Some interesting health and safety issues related to Hummer exhaust are highlighted here. I could not find a diesel-engine rating, let alone a way to specify bio-diesel is in the tank rather than petro-diesel.