Birds Of My Skies Poem by Nida Nawaz

A flock of birds
Flying in my vast blue skies
Ah! have fallen prey
To imperialistic intent
Lurking menacingly in the womb
Of a "democracy"
How hard they writhe!
In the pools of their own blood
In their final moments

My neighbors are adamant
So adamant on fighting their war
In my very own compound
That a rich flock
Of multi-hued birds
Belonging to my sprawling greens
Felt compelled to move
On uncharted routes
Towards the far off desert

At the far bend of city centre
A flock of lively birds
Ensnared by thick clouds
Of teargass smoke
Lose their way
And worth
In no time, almost

Groups of birds
Lying trapped in huge iron cages
Are fast losing track
Of days, nights
Months and years
Blunted lies their sense
Of time and omen

Carcass of a lone white swan
Burns day in
And day out
On the pyre
Of my own eyes

The shivering swan of my soul
Was torn up in bits
In the tricky twists
Of concertina wire
Covering my body
Ah! But none could see
Nor feel
Its last gasp
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

(Translation from Hindi by ASHFAQ LONE)