Verses

Poem: Muskān / मुस्कान / Smile

Original in Hindustani, as English transliteration and in देवनागरी, followed by an English translation (not as lyrical):

Muskān

Maa teri muskān
Kaisi hain itni nādān?

Ekdam saral si
bacche jaisi

Narm si behti huin
nadiyon jaisi

Chaandni si khilne vaalīn
suraj ki kiranon jaisi

Is muskurāhaṭ
me naa koin rukāvaṭ
naa koin duniyaan ke daagon ki chaahat

Samay ho sang
ya fir berang
naa uljhe teri pyaari patang

मुस्कान

माँ तेरी मुस्कान
कैसी हैं इतनी नादान?

एकदम सरल सी
बच्चे जैसी

नर्म सी बहती हुईं
नदियों जैसी

चाँदनी सी खिलने वालीं
सूरज की किरणों जैसी

इस मुस्कुराहट
में ना कोई रुकावट
ना कोई दुनियाँ के दाग दाग़ों की चाहत

समय हो संग
या फिर बेरंग
ना उलझे तेरी प्यारी पतंग

Smile

Tell me mother,
how is your smile
so innocent?

So pure and simple
like a child

So soft in its flow
like serene rivers go

Like the Moon-like bloom
of the Sun’s rays in your room

In your smile
there’s neither friction
nor desire to find a worldly limitation

Whether time is with you
or not yet due
your kite knows no blue.

Notes: This poem is for Day 25 of the Global Poetry Writing Month. I previously wrote a poem in Hindustani dedicated to my father. This one’s for my mother. 💛

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