We are Birds of the Boundless Sky

This would be one of my favourite poems. Used to recite it pretty innocently while at school. Here's a translation of the same off a website:

We are Birds of the Boundless Sky- ShivMangal Singh Suman

We are birds of the boundless sky

Caged, we cannot sing.

Battered against these golden bars

Break, shall the delicate wing.

We who drink of free flowing waters,

Shall die of hunger and thirst.

Far better is the bitter berry

Than grain in a golden cup.

Within these yellow prison bars

We forget our speed, our flight

And visit only in lucid dreams

Our open swings within trees.

Such were our desires and more to soar

Beyond the boundaries blue

To devour the scarlet rays with beaks

And stars like grains, chew.

To blend with the horizon seamless

These wings shall thrash and throe,

To be one with that same horizon

Or only to be no more.

Pay no heed to the tree-bough

Destroy and wreck my shelter

but if these wings I am to have,

Do not distress these frantic flights.

Qissa Ek Raat Ka

Raat khamosh kade intzaar kare mera, ki mai kuch kahoon,

Ke wada tha oon se ki aaj guphtagu hogi.

Kuch raaz honge, kuch sikayatein hongi, kuch izhar hoga.

Par na jaane kyun, aaj zubaan khushk si hai.

Din masroof tha.

Uske raftar mein mehfil nahin jami.

Ke woh kabhi sawaloon pe utthe jawab, toh kabhi jawabon pe utthe sawaalon ki pemaish kar sake.

Lehaza, kuch der, kisson ko dibbe mein baand kiya gaya.

Kisse barte gaye, dhakkan kasakta gaya.

Aur phir,

Raat aata hai.

Sabr ka chadar bechata hai, sukoon ka wada karta hai.

Par na jaane kyun, ab zubaan khushk si hai.

The Perfume

Wisps of winter in the air,

An ever so slight fog hangs here and there.

Orbs of yellow streetlights look so much warmer,

The smell of a burnt off cracker around the corner.

There's the sweet whiff of the Gulachin flowers.

Memories of gift boxes arriving home, shining like stars.

Of holidays when children played around without a care.

Of love that hung gingerly in the seasonal air.

And so like an alluring perfume you could never perfectly define,

Are sweet October memories of mine.

- By the Witch

Ik Baat

Late night obsessing over Javed Akhtar's poetry as recited by Farhan in 'Zindagi Na milegi Dobara'. An illustration for another one of my favorites from the movie.

Ik baat honton tak hai jo aayi nahin
Bas ankhon say hai jhaankti
Tumse kabhi, mujhse kabhi
Kuch lafz hain woh maangti
Jinko pehanke honton tak aa jaaye woh
…Aawaaz ki baahon mein baahein daalke ithlaye woh
Lekin jo yeh ik baat hai
Ahsas hi ahsas hai

Khushboo si hai jaise hawa mein tairti
Khushboo jo be-aawaaz hai
Jiska pata tumko bhi hai
Jiski khabar mujhko bhi hai
Duniya se bhi chupta nahin
Yeh jaane kaisa raaz hai

(Transalation)

There is a matter that has almost come to my lips
This is evident in my eyes
Sometimes from you, sometimes from me
They ask for words
To take their shape and come to my lips
And to be embraced by my voice
But this matter

Is a feeling…only a feeling

Floating in air like fragrance
Fragrance becomes its voice
That you know of
That i know of
It’s not hidden from the world
Don’t know what kind of secret is this

- Penned by Javed Akhtar & beautifully recited by Farhan Akhtar

Saw 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara' today. Kudos for its simplicity coz simple is tough. I felt even the slightly awkward acting at times helped to fit in, into the mood of this script.

At the time of its release most people, I recall, talked of it being a one time watch film. And it surprises me a tad bit coz its rare when one feels like watching a film more than once.

Many people discarded the film as its plot line reminded them of 'Hangover' (the film got branded as its Indian remake). Others felt its meat was more like 'Dil Chahta Hai'.

Despite these glaring similarities I liked the film simply because the amazing feeling of being completely free seeped out of the film to me. The director has obviously done some brilliant piece work there. I even enjoyed watching Katrina for once. But most of all I loved the little poems Farhan kept musing over throughout the film. The last one would be one of my favorites.

Dilon mein tum apni betaabiyan leke chal rahe ho, toh zinda ho tum

Nazar mein khwabon ki bijliyan leke chal rahe ho, toh zinda ho tum

Hawa ke jhokon ke jaise aazad rehna sikho

Tum ek dariya ke jaise lehron mein behna sikho

Har ek lamhe se tum milo khole apni bhaayein

Har ek pal ek naya samha dekhen yeh nigahaein

Jo apni aankhon mein hairaniyan leke chal rahe ho, toh zinda ho tum

Dilon mein tum apni betaabiyan leke chal rahe ho, toh zinda ho tum

'Zindagi Na Milegi Doobara'

-Directed by Zoya Akhtar & poems penned by Javed Akhtar