At Night, By Marriage: Lisa Ciccarello In Hindi/Urdu Translation Poem by Ravi Kopra

[Shaadi ho gayi. Har raat khavind leta raha
Bina marzi main us ko deti rehi. Chillati rehi]

aisay main apnay dil ko
kabu main rakhti hoon -

main maala k mankoN ki tarah
khyaal joD joD kar unki maala banaati hoon

swaalon k saaray jawaab main pehn leti hoon
mera zevar baDa bhaari ho jaata hai

meri aankhoN ki lambi cHapki chillati hai
aur haaN bhi karti hai

main bahut kuch kehna chahti hoon
magar un k paas swaal nahin hain

aur cHapki ka arth maloom nahin hai
agar un ko galt-fehmi na ho to -

dil siraf mitti hai. poocHo kisi se bhi
dil ki dharkan ek cHipki hai

lambi dharkan chillati hai
us se bhi lambi sula deti hai

saari raat
main chillati rehti hoon.

***

At night, by marriage:
Lisa Ciccarello


Here is how I control my heart: I string each thought one behind the next, like beads.

I wear the answers I am waiting to give. The jewelry becomes heavy as soil.

My long blink is a scream & a yes. There are things I have to say, but they do not yet know the questions they must ask. & a blink is no word; if they misunderstand—

A heart is just soil. Ask anyone. A heartbeat is a blink. A long blink is a scream. A longer blink is sleep. All night I am screaming.