Ten Poems

Habib Jalib
I I
What Does Pakistan Mean? Pakistan Ka Matlab Kya?
Bread, clothes and medicine Roti, kapda aur dawa
A little house to live in Ghar rehne ko chhota sa
Free education, as may right be seen Muft mujhe talim dila
A Muslim, I, too, have always been Mein bhi Musalmaan hoon wallah
What does Pakistan mean Pakistan ka matlab kya
There is no God, but God, The Rab-al- La Ilaha Illalah…
alameen Amrika se mang na bhik
For American alms do not bray Mat kar logon ki tazhik
Do not, the people, laugh away Rok na janhoori tehrik
With the democratic struggle do not play Chhod na azadi ki rah
Hold on to freedom, do not cave in Pakistan ka matlab hai kya
What does Pakistan mean La Ilaha Illalah…
There is no God... Khet waderon se le lo
Confiscate the fields from the landowners Milen luteron se le lo
Take away the mills from the robbers Mulk andheron se le lo
Redeem the country from its dark hours Rahe na koi Alijah
Off with the lordly vermin Pakistan ka matlab kya
What does Pakistan mean La Ilaha Illalah… 
There is no God... Sarhad, Sindh, Baluchistan
Sind, Baluchistan and Frontier Teenon hain Panjab ki jaan
These three are to Panjab most dear Aur Bangal hai sab ki aan
And Bengal lends them splendour Aai na un ke lab par aah
Anguished should not be their mien Pakistan ka matlab kya
What does Pakistan mean La Ilaha Illalah…
There is no God... Baat yehi hai bunyadi
This, then, is the basic thing Ghasib ki ho barbadi
For the people, let freedom’s bell ring Haq kehte hain haq agah
From the rope, let the plunderer swing Pakistan ka matlab kya
Truly they speak, who the truth have seen La Ilaha Illalah…
What does Pakistan mean
There is no God, but Allah...
   
II II
Islam Is Not In Danger Khatre Mein Islam Nahin
Endangered are the idle rich, bursting with Khatra hai zar daron ko
cash Girti hui diwaron ko
Crumbling walls about to crash Sadiyon ke bimaron ko
All the centuries’ mish-mash Khatre mein Islam nahin
Islam is not in danger Sari zamin ko ghere hue hain aakhir chand
Why do a few clans all the land rights enjoy gharane kyon
And those, who revere the Prophet, are Naam nabi ka lene wale ulfat se begane kyon 
bereft of joy Khatra hai khun khwaron ko
Endangered are the beasts of prey Rang birangi karon ko
Multicoloured cars which in the streets Amrika ke pyaron ko
sashay Khatre mein Islam nahin
And for whom the American hearts sway Aaj hamare naaron se larza hai bapa aiwanon
Islam is not in danger mein
Due to our slogans the palaces shake and Bik na sakenge hasrat-o arman unchi saji
tremble dukanon mein 
The towering ornate shops cannot our hopes Khatra hai bat maron ko
quell Maghrib ke bazaron ko
Endangered are the robbers of the highway Choron ko makkaron ko
Western traders who make hay Khatre mein Islam nahin
Thieves and tricksters who waylay Amn ka parcham le kar utho har insane se
Islam is not in danger piyar karo
Holding aloft the banner of peace, loving all Aprna to manshoor hai Jalib, sare jahan se
humans, we are on the go pyar karo 
Loving all the world, O Jalib, is our proud Khatra hai darbaron ko
credo Shahon ke ghamkhwaron ko
Endangered are the palatial predators Nawabon, ghaddaron ko
The kings and their abettors Khatre mein Islam nahin 
Nawabs and other such traitors
Islam is not in danger.
   
III III
Maulana Maulana
Too long I have heard you preach and prate, Bahut mein ne suni hai aap ki taqreer Maulana
Maulana Magar badli nahin ab tak meri taqdeer
But so far there has been no change in my Maulana
fate, Maulana Khudara Shukr ki talqeen apne pass hi rakhen
Keep to yourself your preachings of Yeh lagti hai mere seene pe ban kar teeer
gratefulness Maulana
My heart, like an arrow, they penetrate, Nahin mein bol sakta jhut is darja dhitai se
Maulana Yehi hai jurm mera aur yehi taqsir Maulana
The truth, only you know or God knows Haqeeqat ka kya hai, yeh to aap jaanen ya
They say that Jimmy Carter is your pir* Khuda jane
incarnate, Maulana Suna hai Jimmi Carter hai aap ka peer
The land to the landlords, the machine to the Maulana
despoilers Zameenen hon waderon ki, mashinen hon
This, according to you, is God’s dictate, luteron ki
Maulana Khuda ne likh ke di hai yeh tumhen terhrir
Why don’t millions fight for Palestine Maulana
Prayers alone cannot from chains liberate, Karodon kyon nahin mil kar Falastin ke liye
Maulana ladte
* Sufi saint Dua hi se faqat kat-ti nahin zanjir Maulana
   
IV IV
 Ghazal Ghazal
Hindustan belongs to me and Pakistan Hindustan bhi mera hai aur Pakistan bhi mera
belongs to me hai
Both of these, however, are under American Lekin in donon mulkon mein Amrika dera hai
hegemony Aid ki gandam kha kar ham ne kitney dhokey
American aid gave us wheat, as also their khai hain
deceit Poochh na hamne Amrika ke kitne naaz uthai
Do not ask me how long we’ve suffered their hain 
conceit Phir bhi ab tak wadi-e gul ko sangeenon ne
And yet the bayonets are all around this ghera hai
flowering valley Hindustan bhi mera hai aur Pakistan bhi mera
Hindustan belongs to me and Pakistan hai 
belongs to me Khan Bahadur chhodna hoga ab to saath
Khan Bahadur, do not follow the English, Angrezon ka
from them better keep away Ta bah gareban aa pahuncha hai phir se hath
Once again they are holding you by the Angrezon ka 
collar, you are still their prey Macmilan tera na hua to Kenedy kab tera hai
Macmillan was never thine, Kennedy can Hindustan bhi mera hai aur Pakistan bhi mera
never be hai 
Hindustan belongs to me and Pakistan Yeh dharti hai asal mein, pyare, mazdooron
belongs to me dahqanon ki
This land in fact, my dear, belongs to Is dharti par chal na sakegi marzi chand
peasants and workers gharanon ki
Here will not run the writ of a few clannish Zulm ki rat rahegi kab tak ab nazdik savera hai
marauders Hindustan bhi mera hai aur Pakistan bhi mera
The dawn of freedom is heralding the end of hai
tyranny
Hindustan belongs to me and Pakistan
belongs to me.
   
V V
The Mother Maan
The children were shot dead Bachchon pe chali goli
The mother, in fury, said Maan dekh ke yeh boli
These pieces of my heart Yeh dil ke mere tukde
Should cry and I stand apart Yun royen mere hote
Looking on from afar Mein dur khadi dekhoon
This I cannot do Yeh mujh se nahin hoga 
I should look on from afar Mein Dur khadi dekhun
As the tyrants, night and day Aur ahl-e sitam khelen
With the blood of my children Holi* play Khun se mere bachchon ke
Besmirched in red Din-raat yahan holi
As the children were shot dead Bachchon pe chali goli
The mother, in fury, said Maan dekh ke yeh boli
These pieces of my heart Yeh dil ke mere tukde
Should cry and I stand apart Yun royen mere hote
Looking on from afar Mein dur khadi dekhun
This, I cannot do  Yeh mujh se nahin hoga 
* Spring festival played with coloured water Meidan mein nikal aayi
She walked came down to the ground Ek barq si lehrai
Like lightening flashing around Har dast-e sitam kanpa
The tyrant’s hand trembled Bandooq bhi tharrai
Full of fear the gun frowned Har simt sada gunji
Everywhere her echo did resound Mein aati hun, mein aayee
I am hereby bound, I am coming for this Mein aati hun, mein aayee
round Har zulm hua batil
I am hereby bound, I am coming for this Aur seham gaye qatil
round  Jab us ne zaban kholi
Then oppression became evil Bachchon pe chali goli 
Panic-stricken were those who kill Us ne kaha khun-khwaro!
When she thundered Daulat ke parastaro
As our children were murdered  Dharti hai yeh ham sab ki
She said, you vampires Is dharti ko naa-dano!
Gold is the be all of your desires Angrezon ke darbano!
This land belongs to us all Sahab ki ata-kardah
This land, you Dunces Esquires Jagir na tum jano
Lackeys, still, to your British Sires Is zulm se baaz aao
The sahib’s beneficence Bairak mein chale jao
Has not made you landlords: squires Kyon chand luteron ki
Desist from this tyranny Phirte ho liye toli
Back to your barracks, flee Bachchon pe chali goli
You, who rove ahead
With a gang of plunderers you have bred
As our children were shot dead 
   
VI VI
The Garden Is A Bloody Mess  Bagiya Lahoo Luhan
This poem is about the oppression in East Haryali ko aankhen tarsen bagiya lahoo luhan
Pakistan in 1971 Pyar ke geet sunaoon kis ko shehar hue weeran
Our eyes yearn for greenery Bagiya lahoo luhan 
The garden is a bloody mess Dasti hain suraj ki kirnen chand jalaye jaan
For whom should I sing my songs of love Pag pag maut ke gehre saye jeewan maut
The cities are all a wilderness saman
The garden is a bloody mess Charon ore hawa phirti hai le kar teer Kaman
The rays of the sun, they sting Bagiya lahoo luhan 
Moonbeams are a killing field, no less Chhalni hain kaliyon ke seeney khoon mein lat
Deep shadows of death hover at every step paat
Life wears a skull and bone dress Aur nahjaney kab tak hogi ashkon ki barsaat
All around the air is on prowl Dunya walon kab beeteinge dukh ke yeh din
With bows and arrows, in full harness raat
The garden is a bloody mess  Khoon se holi khel rahe hain dharti ke balwan
The battered buds are like a sieve Bagiya lahoo luhan
The leaves drenched in blood smears
Who knows, for how long
We’ll have this rain of tears
People how long do we have to bear
These days and nights of sorrow and distress
This oppressor’s blood bath is a frolicsome
play
For the mighty of the world, a mark of their
prowess
The garden is a bloody mess 
   
VII VII
God Is Ours Khuda Hamara Hai
Addressed to religious hucksters of any Khuda tumhara nahi hai khuda hamara hai
denomination and the system they defend – Use zamin pe yeh zulm kab gawara hai
translator’s note Lahoo piyoge kahan tak hamara dhanwano
God is not yours, to Him we have access Badhao apni dukan seem-o zar ke deewano
He does not look kindly on those who Nishan kahin na rahega tumhara shaitano
oppress  Hamein yaqeen hai ke insaan usko pyara hai
How long, you men of pelf, will you bleed us Khuda tumhara nahin hai khuda hamara hai
white Use zameen pe yeh zulm kab gaawara hai 
Get off our backs, you who in filthy lucre Nai shaoor ki hai roshni nigahon mein
take delight Ek aag si bhi hai ab apni sard aahon mein
You satans it is dust that you will soon bite Khilenge phool nazar ke sahar ki bahon mein
We believe that He treats mankind with Dukhe dilon ko isi aas ka sahara hai
loving tenderness Khuda tumhara nahin hai khuda hamara hai
He does not look kindly on those who Use zameen pe yeh zulm kab gawara hai
oppress  Tilism-e sayah-e khauf-o hiras todenge
Light of new wisdom we are going to see Qadam bandhayenge zanjeere-e yaas todenge
A fire flares up, seeing our agony Kabhi kisi ke na ham dil ki aas todenge
In this new magical dawn will burst forth the Rahega yaad jo ehd-e sitam guzara hai
blossoming tree Use zamin pe yeh zulm kab gawara hai
He brings hopes to those who are mired in
distress
God is not yours, to Him we have access
He does not look kindly on those who
oppress
We’ll break the shadowy spell of fear and
dread
Onwards we will march, chains of despair
we will shred
We’ll not betray the hopes of the people, our
dear kindred
And long we will remember this time of
duress
He does not look kindly on those who
oppress
VIII
To Rakhshinda Zoya
13 April 1981, during a jail visit
She cannot say it, but then
My little one manages to say
Father, come home
Father, come home
She cannot comprehend
Why, in prison, I continue to stay
And not return with her, hand in hand
How should I explain to her
That home, too, is like a prison 
Kot Lakhpat Jail
IX
On Iqbal Centenary
When we arise to wake the poor, the have
nots
A beeline to the police station they make,
these wealthy sots
They say that God this wealth to them allots
Oh these trite excuses, oh these dusty plots
Night and day the working men’s blood they
suck, o poet of the East
These congenital liars, with the vileness of a
beast
X X
The Government of Jack Boots
If the dacoit had not had
The village guard as his ally
Our feet would not be in chains
Our victory would not defeat imply
Mourn with turbans round your necks
Crawling on your bellies, comply
Once the jack boot government is up
It’s hard, to make it bid good-bye
VIII
Rakhshinda Zoya Se
Keh nahin sakti par kehti hai
Mujh se meri nanhi bachchi
Abbu ghar chal
Abbu ghar chal
Us ki samajh mein kuchh nahin aata
Kyon zindan mein reh jaata hun
Kyon nahin saath mein uske chalta
Kaise nanhi samjhaoon
Ghar bhi to zindan ki tarah hai
IX
Yaum-E Iqbal Par
Log uthte hain jab tere ghareebon ko jagane
Sab shehar ke zardar pahunch jaate hain
thane 
Kehte hain yeh daulat hamein bakhshi hai
khuda ne
Farsudah bahane wahi afsaane purane 
Ai shair-e mashriq! Yehi jhute yehi bad zaat
Peete hain laoo banda-e mazdoor ka din raat 
Bootan Di Sarkar
(Panjabi)
Dakuan da je saath na dinda pind da pehredar
Aj paireen zanjeer na hund jit na hundi har
Paggan apne gal wich pa lo turo pet de bhar
Chadh jaye te mushkil lehndi bootan di sarkar