Who Will Descend Into The Grave Of My Poet? Poem by Muhammad Shanazar

(A Poem for Faiz Ahmed Faiz: The Poet of Revolution)

Amid myriad of the earth-dwellers,
A broken hearted multitude of devotees,
Wrapped in grief,
Moves towards the funeral with tumbling steps,
The lips are busy in condolences
For the Moon of Poesy.
Their eyes and broken hearts count the beads of grief,

A gust of pain rose from the rim of roof,
“Entrust to the grave the body of Faiz,
Enfolding it in the flag poesy,
Place beneath the head the code of Love,
Fasten with the celestial cord
The tale of journey-beaten dusty toes:
Which are signs of those who return to God Almighty”

Upon the patient shoulder,
An apex of love,
And caravan of lovers

O! The followers of Faiz,
Lament gently,
Shedding silent tears,
From eyes and hearts,
For the bearer of wisdom,
And love has to yet become the diet of dust,

Who will descend,
Into the grave of my poet?
Whoever descends, convey him,
His moist eyes must not to drop tears,
The Poetry of Faiz,
Is very delicate and brittle,
No grit must be jabbed into its body,
Be heeded!
Lest phalanges of the words should be wounded,
Lest face makeup of the futuristic impacts,
Should fade from the words,

Place him in the grave like a fresh rose,
With a care as honey-comb is removed from the branch,
O! The followers of Faiz,
Place him just gently, as gently as breeze blows,
Yes; place him more gently,
For the bed of earth retains cold a lot,


Written by Ayub Khawar
Translated by Muhammad Shanazar