How The Stone Found Its Voice, A Poem By Moniza Alvi In Hindi/Urdu Translation Poem by Ravi Kopra

hum baDay jeevan kaaloN se intzaar kartay rahay
ye sun-nay k liyay k chattan akhar kya bolay gi

tajjub main paDay rahay ye sochtay kya khaas baat vo karay gi
jo likhnay k hogi kabil saaray jahaN k liyay

jab laDaion ki laDaee ek dum khatam hue to chattan ne
jaisay koi apna galla saaf kar raha ho, apni pisee hue awaaz main kaha:

jahan ghair ahmi hoti hai
wahan ghair ahmi apni dikhlao

ye sun kar
saara jahaN samajnay laga

***

HOW THE STONE FOUND ITS VOICE - Poem by Moniza Alvi

We had waited through so many lifetimes
for the stone to speak, wondered if

it would make compelling pronouncements,
anything worth writing down.

Then after the war of wars
had ground to a shattering halt, the stone

emitted a small grinding sound rather like
the clearing of a throat.

Let us be indifferent to indifference,
the stone said.

And then the world spoke. Moniza Alvi