Zulfiqar Ali Bhatti

O dear! New year!
Bringing some fortunes and delights?
For poor fellowmen or they will continue
With their same pains and plights.
...

Measure not the sincerity of friends,
Time will show you worth of all,
Those with you in cheers and delight,
Probably won't, answer to your call,
...

He who believes in fate and fall,
Never loses hope at all,
Knows in life there comes time,
When all goes wrong, nothing fine
...

Yes, with the break of the morning
Even after the dreadful storming
Houses whether scattered on the plain
Or stand still in the sleepy lane
...

O land of love and peace!
The devils try to forcibly fleece
Your identity from the globe,
Knowing not your sons on probe
...

No matter if you lose sight and see not,
But what to those who vision clear claim,
Can see pebbles in the children’s hands,
Cannot see bombs dropping over them.
...

They tried to kill you but
Can an inspiration be killed,
Your blood even strengthen hope
And faith in the dark hearts filled.
...

Delay not justice listen to the cries,
Leave your slumber, wake up and rise.

Masses mourn with hearts out worn,
...

...

I am in the park,
happy like a lark,
A happy child am I,
Who swings very high,
...

Sincere friends, no doubt, are healers of our pains and plights
Sooth us even in the misery when the world leaves us alone,
Cause the world is only ours in our merriment and delights
And the friends, with us in our cheers and also when we moan
...

When it rains,
We sing and dance,
Cause for merry making
It's a great chance.
...

This piece of work is translation of Sur Kedaro which is one of the 32 chapters of Shah Jo Risalo, the great poetry book of renowned mystic poet Shah Abdul Latif Bhitaiform Sindh Pakistan.

Canto 1
...

A sleepless and terribly dreadful night
All around are the winds of misery and plight
When the sky poured down the fires; death
Prevailed everywhere in the length and breadth.
...

Life is nothing but to turn into ashes,
If not lived with love of land.
All the cracks such love crashes
And blesses you a grandeur grand
...

Is there any? No, I guess no limits you have,
And your victims, seem, never survive,
Though you ruin, yet people for you crave,
And unbound of all bonds for you thrive,
...

When? I know not it crept into my veins,
Holding hold of me by its powerful reigns,
Molded and turned me to a man unbound
Of the chains and reigns of things around,
...

I often think of people who deceive others
Never think of people's rights and druthers
Who feel nothing in playing with feelings
And keep above all their own dealings
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Perhaps, sometimes life reveals
Some secrets, which when we know
We then become more wittier
And Know, most friends are our foe
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O, dear Indus, the witness of millenniums'
History, traditions and culture
You feed us with your sweet water
And in your lap you us nurture
...