HOORA

Sleeping in the centre of my soul

oh … my Hoora

the pearl of all towns 

the water nymph who has lost her sea

inside you birth of the dream

inside you the dream that will never end

you are living jasmine inside me

as the heart sustaining my body

Companions have deserted you 

revolutionists fallen from their horses 

the carts of time run over them 

your best lovers have gone

dreamers ceased to dream

all those dear faces

all those eyes

which were swollen of dreaming 

all disappeared in the breastwork of time

or extinguished in graves

you are yet alive, in the dim of my memory 

'Hameed' is still playing 

in your desecrated lanes

a child without a bicycle 

dreaming on your seashore 

which lies buried in coffins of sands

oh ... Hoora

the queen of all cities 

the beautiful lady

whose jewels were stolen

I still find you dancing my blood

much like those good old days

though the years may have changed you

and me in their way

oh … Hoora

memory of loneliness 

our early innocence 

in your soil we hide our slogans

our books 

our pens

witness to a premature dream

oh … Hoora

you… grave of dreams and talismans 

to whom will you tell your secrets 

the lovers have gone

even your sea has gone

who will entertain you now

other than your busy memory 

NOTE: Hoora is a small town where the poet lived part of his life.