The Forsaken Heron Poem by Shujaat Rahi

In the grey dusk...
soaring...
the wounded bird
Inscribing on the air
a tale of agonies
aer agonising flight
composing an elegy
among the lush-green leaves
The congregation of glow-worms
-the herds of some innocent souls...
opening their beaks
They're all the reflections of my multicolored thristy dreams

The assault of those reminiscences
as if the wounds carved by beaks
on a juicy fruit

I-the prisoner of my memories-
with pinions bound
amidst the sunlight getting paler
looking with yearnings
at the golden birds
flying over a river
(the golden birds-
the ambassadords of the seasons) -
and beseeching the ambassador birds:

Comrades!
If you happen to meet her
by any chance
Tell her that her abandoned heron
Is still in search
of the sweet, melodious tunes of his shepherd.

Written and translated by Shujaat Ali Rahi

(Kohat; Feb 22,2008)