In every lane yours, O Land mine, my
heart I lay
Where “No head shall rise!” now the way
Stealthily to the tryst, must your love
proceed
And guard its life ‘n limb night ‘n day
For those with heart, now this the
decree
Stones ‘n wood in prison, and dogs roam
free
Suffice for the hand oppressive as
excuse
The few love-crazed that proclaim your
name
The plaintiff and the judge both venal
plain
Who be counsel, from whom one justice
obtain?
But one who will not give up, still goes
on
‘Tis how he does night and day, of you
forlorn:
Now that the light through prison hole
has faded
My heart sees stars parting your hair
Now that my chains are bright and
un-shaded
I know the dawn in your visage did
appear
Thus, I live in thoughts of today and
the ‘morrow
In the shadow of prison walls ‘n door,
my sorrow
Such has been the rift between Creation
and oppression
Neither their ritual nor mine new for
the eye to see
In such manner have my kind watered
flowers in the fire
Not new is their defeat, not new my
victory
For this reason I don’t complain of the
sky
Even forlorn of your love, my hope won’t
die
If away today, tomorrow we’ll be one
This night of separation is no great
ordeal
If rival’s moon is bright today, so it
be!
‘Tis ephemeral apotheosis is not real!
Those who in your love keep strong
Know the panacea for every wrong!
(Translated by Asif Iftikhar)
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