Nina Cassini: I Wanted To Stay In Hindi/Urdu Translation Poem by Ravi Kopra

main september k baad
yahaan rehna chahti thee
is registaan main, is bikhri si beach main.
main khaana khaana chaahti thee
banaa hua jhoothi cranes ki khaak se.
main chaati the hawaa apne baaloN main
jaisay paani ruka hota hai macHlioN k jaal main.
akeley is zabardast saagar k kinaray
main cigrut peena chahti thee
jo chamakata hai chaand se bhaD k.
main chahti thee waqt guzaarna
ek haath rakhay huay peDon main
aur doosra haath is safed rait main.
lakin laga muje aisay
k main alwidaa karnay ka drama kar rehi thee.
choD jaanay ka mera iraada thaa aisay muje lagta thaa
jab meri rooh jaanay ko tyaar na thee
jasiay k main aashiq se door bhaag rehi thee
haalaN k us ki mohabbat main doobi hui thee.

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NINA CASSIAN
I wanted to stay
TRANSLATED BY VIRGIL NEMOIANULAURA SCHIFF

I wanted to stay behind in September
on the desert, this faded beach.
I wanted my meals to be
the ashes of my false cranes.
To hold the heavy wind in my hair
like water asleep in fishing nets.
Alone by the muscular sea,
I wanted to smoke a cigarette that
glared more than the moon.
I wanted to watch time move -
one hand in the trees and
the other in the greying sands.
But it seems I'm meant for stage goodbyes.
I'm meant to wrench myself from places
when my soul isn't ready,
just as I walk away from love
while I still love.