‘ Night Thoughts, ' A Poem By A.E. Stallings In Hindi/Urdu Translation Poem by Ravi Kopra

Raat k vichaar chamgaadaer jaisay nahin hotay
shaam ko ghar choD vo saair nahin kartay
cHatri nahin rakhtay, ghoomnay k jootay nahin pehantay
fur k coat nahin pehantay, kapday un ko kaalay bhooray nahin hotay

Raat ki ulti cHaan-ni jaisay aasmaan main
vo uDaan nahin laitay
aur uDtay firtay kabhi bhi
vo nagaroN main nahin jaatay

Idhar-Udhar punkh filaaey
un k sar main chaakar nahin aatay
un ki chaal jigsaw machine ki si nahin hoti
vo chooN chooN nahin kartay, na hi vo gaatay

Vo teekhay nahin hotay, na hi sam-tal hotay
dukh bharay un k ras hotay hain
akasmik chumgaadroN ki tarah
dhun cHoD kar ek dum jhapataa maartay hain

Raat ko jo vichaar aatay hain
vo raat ki do-pehar jaisay hotay hain
akelay akelay vo aatay hain
chup chaap hamesha rehtay hain

Apnay choonay-pathri k aansoo bahaatay hain
bahaatay rehtay hain, uDaan nahin laitay
saaloN se bhara hua pukka dukh rotay rehtay hain
aur fir ek pathar jaisay mazboot ho jaatay hain

***

‘Night Thoughts, '
A Poem by A.E. Stallings

Night thoughts are not like bats,
Do not trip out at dusk
With bumbershoots and spats,
And fur coats, in sub fusc,

Do not fall into flight
Into the upside-down
Colander of the night,
And stagger on the town.

They do not zag and zig
Giddy on the wing
As a jigsaw's jig.
They do not squeak or sing.

They're not the sharps and flats,
The blues notes in the key,
The way it seems that bats
Are accidentals, free

To swoop beyond the tune.
The thoughts at night that come
Are midnight's afternoon,
Desolate and dumb.

They weep their limestone tears,
They hang, but do not fly,
Accretion of the years,
They sweat. They petrify.