کیوں؟

“Why?”—a word so small,

yet it unravels the vast unknown.

Not all echoes seek answers;

some just linger to be heard.

The soul moves in patterns thought can’t trace,

and silence often speaks what language cannot.

Reason hides where feeling leads,

and sometimes, not knowing is the knowing.

© Irfan Suhrawardy .

Almost, Unmade

They passed—unspoken.

A breath in silk.

Eyes. Lost to shadows,

shadows where I once lived.

Familiar footsteps

on unfamiliar ground.

The scent of memory

brushing the edge of my skin.

And in that silence?

A fire stirred.

Not loud. Not wild.

But familiar.

Forbidden.

Slow.

And sweet.

©Irfan Suhrawardy 

Escape!

I yearn to journey forth,

Through time's unyielding flow,

Until naught remains,

Neither he, nor she,

Not even you,

A realm distant, ethereal,

And still more remote,

Not only traversing woods,

But venturing further still.

Not along the shores,

Abuzz with cresting waves,

Nor within the verdant meadows,

Alive with joyful chirps.

Away from the ocean's depths,

Where elusive creatures creep,

And the rugged hills persist,

Where life finds its foothold.

Through the encompassing nights, I toiled,

Days surrendered to tranquil slumber,

Until I arrived at last,

The Sanctified Cove.

Beyond the vanished,

A future concealed from sight,

Everything cloaked in subtlety,

Yet there I stood ever present.

© Irfan Suhrawardy. All rights reserved.

Escape

I want to go.

All the while 

Till there is none.

Nor he, nor she, 

Not even You. 

A place far away. 

And farther away, 

Not just woods ,

But still beyond. 

Not along shores, 

Buzzing with waves,

Or lush meadows, 

Buzzing with chirps. 

Not in the oceans, 

Where creatures creep. 

Or still rocky hills,

Where life does subsist. 

I toiled through nights, 

And slumbered in days. 

Till I reached 

The Holy Cove. 

Past all gone. 

Future not in sight. 

Everything subtle .

But yet and, still, 

There I was!

© Irfan Suhrawardy. All rights reserved,

Gazal

Darenche dil e umeed kuch hai tou tum ho.
Raaz e tabasum maujood kuch hai tou tum ho.

Hum ko maloom hai haqeeqat wafa lekin..
Dil e khasta ka sarood kuch hai tou tum ho.

Gar jane na kabi Kaabe ki haqeeqat hum ne
Fazail haq mere sajood kuch hai tou tum ho..

Na jane humne bisat e waqt kabi hakimu se
Daur e rawan ke namrood kuch hai tou tum ho..

© Irfan Suhrawardy.

Me.. We.. And I.

Once usual, I got a morning beam,
Running through the day all serene.
Wishing to move from ones to team,
I grasped the heart as also the brain.
Days flew across as months passed too,
Being in company all in oneness alone,
Joys squared, dumps diminishing so.
Wishing for a time up to all ever grown,
Destined it was from side one and all.
Hopes were high,  expectations soar.
Till the day befell with a fallen fall,
Putting apart the bonds crust to core.
Taking away soul of a perfect alliance.
Thus,  pierced me apart in utter silence..

© Irfan Suhrawardy

Hmmm....

Zindagi main tere aana tabeer e khawab hogaya.
Mehak gaye lamhe sare, har pal shadab hogaya.
Deed e sakoon ki aise, dekhna sairaab hogaya
Munkise Rukh yuun, be rukh mahtaab hogaya.
Khawab is pe ki main be shamil khawab hogaya
Ik apne nawaah e subuhh ka in-ti-khaab hogaya.
Neend se uthke, haqeeqat se hum khithab hogaya.
Har manzar,  pase manzar, manad sarab hogaya.
© Irfan Suhrawardy

Salab e Tahreer

Charag e toor reh guzaar na hua.
Phir apna koi gum gusaar na hua.

Araish e khayal se mutmain the sabi,
Hum ko mallal hai deedaar na hua.

Shamil o shareek ik yaar hum hue.
Jis yaar ka koi ikh-ti-yaar na hua.

© Irfan Suhrawardy

Salab e Tahreer

Kuch yun ahle hakam ke hum qarazdar hogaye    
Jo charagain jalte rahte deedar hota kis kis ka        
   
Chaauoon se uske guzarta, raqs ke paimane main.
Nazr main aata banda jo kirdaar hota kis kis ka.      
        
Sar jukaae baithe the, ki tabiyat kuch theek na thi                           
Haal jo apna pooch wo lete, bimaar hota kis kis ka.

Na hota seene main paiwast izhar ka khazina..
Bayan hum karte saleqe se, guftar hota kis kis ka.

© Irfan Suhrawardy

Salab e Tahreer

is arizoo pe shama bujaye rakhe the
wo aaye ki ghar ko sajaye rakhe the.

Anjam se kab koi waqif nahi hota
Mudt se dil ko behlaye rakhe the.

Waaiiz uljata beruni rasamu se
Ghar main apne, maikhana rakhe the

Amad pe uske barasne ke liye
Hum badaloon ko manaye rakhe the.

Ik us dost ki talash main Faiq!
Hum charag e dil jalaye rakhe the.

© Irfan Suhrawardy.