Poetry: Shagufta Naj

Shagufta Naj

LOVE IN RAIN

Bliss and elevated in this world wide
filled with emotions, affection
and desires tantalized
drenched with warm feelings
and full swing blood circulation
Oh, my love! How we enjoyed
the moments of first rain of sensation
that swirling of milky water in Ganga
lingering with earthy smell
and the splashing of our feet together
in mirth around lush green vales.

No sound, no sigh, no word murmured
from the lips then
and the bosom swelled up
with palpitated beats
Feeling your soft touch
on my quavering hand.
your oath and swear
during that showering hours
filled my monotonous life
with love and warmth.

The breeze was cool
and the clouds were dark-swollen
but I beheld the scintillating spectrum
of a rainbow on that Eve
spreading a pleasant sense
in my life with various hues.
Still, those moments
of that divine rain at the Ganga ‘ghat’
mesmerized me those
overwhelmed desires
and fill me with pleasure unknown.


Wife

At every moment of this brutal life
Feeling a pang at the heart of her deep
She sighs for solace and peace,
 Roaming and wandering in this world wide
Felt alone for not rejoicing her pride.

Away from this world,
She desires to float over the clouds
To be free from old beliefs of grey shrouds.
Which bound her to a man
And instruct to follow him with devotion.

But he is always a reason of discord
Whom they say to worship as a lord.
Sometimes for this and sometimes for that
This man always brings her at the verge of death.

Tears of her eyes, never arouses his emotion
And treats these pearls only like a fraction.
 Still living with him, she feels proud
And without him think as a mound.

Women! Why? Why? Always you only suffer?
And melt on his love as a butter.
You!  Come out of this entangled trap
Not to be a slave of this egocentric man
Break all chains of this hollow shell
View this mesmerised world for a new dwell.
Arise! Wake up and raise your voice.
Because the man is not only your choice


 A HUNGRY GIRL

In the valley of the green fields,
At the upper side of the hills,
Under the trees of the pine,
And at the side of the shrubs and vine;
I had a glance of a frail and pale child.
Wearing a patched frock
she was gazing at me with desolated eyes.

Her thick and shaggy hair was disheveled,
And long locks seemed like the brush of gum,
She was a sweet and innocent girl of seven,
And her eyes were sparkling like the diamond,

Tears were rolling on her rosy cheeks,
And the lips were fluttering from the pain and shrieks.
weeping and sobbing at the slope side
and muttering something in a freak voice.
Pining for a piece of bread,
Her voice filled my heart with kindness,
And soul wriggled to give her a hand.

With a smile, I put some pennies in to her bowl,
But in anger, she dropped it on the ground;
Pennies had not value for that innocent child,
And shrieked for a piece of bread at pitch high.

At this my heart filled with pain,
And tears were rolling from my eyes like a rain,
Putting the kisses on her pink lips,
I lifted her up at my hands with fondling.
Then I came on a shop at farther,
And put a packet of bread on her fingers,
Seeing the bread, she smiled with glee,
Galloping on the street, she vanished behind the trees;
Her satisfied and sparkling eyes gave me a smile
And I put my steps forward for a mile.

Setu, May 2019