A Women’s Day Poem
पड़ोस की आंटी
पड़ोस की आंटी गर शायर न होतीं
तो अंकल को बहुत पहले ही वर्दीवाले ले जाते।
कलाई के बैंडेज को दिखाके गर यह नहीं कहतीं
कि छत पर तारे गिनते गिनते
हाथ एरोप्लेन से टकरा गया,
तो अंकल को बहुत पहले ही वर्दीवाले ले जाते।
रोज़ देखता था मैं
बाग़बानी का शौक था उनको।
नल न चलता था
तो आँखों के कुँए से पौधों को सींचती थी।
कहती थीं कि बादलों का मौसम बड़ा मनचला है
इसीलिए रोज़ शावर तले
थोडा वाटर हार्वेस्टिंग खुद ही कर लेती थी।
रात को गालों से गर काजल की धार न धोतीं
तो अंकल को बहुत पहले ही वर्दीवाले ले जाते।
पड़ोस की आंटी गर शायर न होतीं
तो अंकल को बहुत पहले ही वर्दीवाले ले जाते।
एक रोज़ जब उनके होटों से सहसा खून निकला
फटाफट खाली लिपस्टिक को दिखाके बोलीं
कि सनसेट की लाली से होटों को रंगा है आज।
वह आसमान का रंग अभी सूखा नहीं है न
इसीलिए बहे जा रहा है।
उन होटों पे उस दिन
डरी डरी सी वह मुस्कान नही होती
तो अंकल को बहुत पहले ही वर्दीवाले ले जाते।
पड़ोस की आंटी गर शायर न होतीं
तो अंकल को बहुत पहले ही वर्दीवाले ले जाते।
Auntie Next Door
(Translated)
had our auntie next door not been a poet,
uniformed men would have taken uncle away a long time ago.
showing the bandage on her wrist, had she not said
that while counting stars on the rooftop
her arm had hit an aeroplane,
uniformed men would have taken uncle away a long time ago.
everyday i used to watch:
she had a penchant for gardening.
when the taps didn’t work
she watered the plants from the wells in her eyes.
she said the season of the clouds was very mercurial
and so, everyday under the shower, she did her own water harvesting.
at night, had she not wiped from her cheeks the line of flowing mascara,
uniformed men would have taken uncle away a long time ago.
had our auntie next door not been a poet,
uniformed men would have taken uncle away a long time ago.
one day, when suddenly from her lips blood started flowing
immediately pointing to an empty lipstick she said
that today i have reddened my lips with the redness of sunset.
the colour of the sky has still not dried, and so it is flowing away.
on those lips, on that day,
had there not been that quivering smile
uniformed men would have taken uncle away a long time ago.
had our auntie next door not been a poet,
uniformed men would have taken uncle away a long time ago.
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