Addictions…

I have spent my life dealing with addictions. I have been addicted to vices, to people, to places, to events and the repetition thereof. I must confess that I have enjoyed my addictions to the point of excess and personal detriment. I firmly believe that an addiction has to be quite severe in order to enjoy it fully and have lived by that principle for many years. Yet, I have also managed to break and get over nearly all of my addictions and have just a few left that I am presently trying to find the strength to break. On the subject of addictions, there is a wealth of literature produced in Persian, Urdu and Hindi poetry which might come as quite a surprise to the uninitiated as alcohol or mind-altering substances are quite frowned upon in those cultures. Despite that, poets writing in those languages continuously produce works about prohibited substances (particularly alcohol) into poetry about love, faith and even philosophy. As a tribute to addictions and the encouragement to furthering them I present this poor ghazal below:

It has been a long while

Since you’ve had this nectar of the gods

Take it from my hand

Drink up

j
Oh why do you work

On things which are not due yet

Stop working

Drink up

j

Admittedly, It is not quite right

To drink before sun down

But the sun has set so,

Drink up

j

You can tell those who ask

It was I who drunk the wine

Your reputation will remain

Untarnished

j

Oh do not say that

This is a drink for evil doers

It is commonly done

Drink up

j

You said it is hypocritical

To drink in secrecy

So lets make it public

Drink up

j

This tussle

Between virtue and sin

Right and wrong

Is mere philosophy

j

Do you not see?

Your friends wait for you

The city of peace and the desert of madness

All await your lifting of the cup

j

And now if you have raised your glass

To all the names in your memory

Drink the last one

For him

j

بعد مدت ہاتھ آئ مےِ گلفام، پی لیجیۓ

حضور ہمارے ہاتھ ایک جام، پی لیجیۓ

j

اتنی جلدی کیا ہے کل کے کام کرنے کی؟

جو ختم کر لیے آج کے کام،  پی لیجیۓ

j

مانا کے دن چڑھے پینا برا ہے

اب تو ہو چکی شام،  پی لیجیۓ

j

پینے کا الزام ہمیں پے ڈال دیں

آپ نہ ہونگے بدنام، پی لیجیۓ

j

عذر نہ دیں کے برے لوگو کا کام ہے

یہ عادت تو ہو چکی عام،  پی لیجیۓ

j

جو چھپ کے پینا منافقت ٹھہری

پیجیے آپ کھلے عام،  پی لیجیۓ

j

تگ و دوِ گناہ و ثواب و مکروہ و حرام

چھوڑیں سب خیالِ خام،  پی لیجیۓ

j

دیکھیے تو جلوہ گریِ میخانہِ فرنگ

حوریں سفید و سیاہ فام،  پی لیجیۓ

j

شہرِ سکوں منتظر، دشتِ جنوں منتظر

منتظر ہیں یار تمام،  پی لیجیۓ

j

جو ہر نام پے جام اٹھا چکے ہیں تو

اک آخری استاد کے نام،  پی لیجیۓ

What are you thinking?

کیا بتاؤں میں کیا سوچ رہا ہوں؟

شہیدِ عشق کا صلہ سوچ رہا ہوں

j

مقصدِ انساں تو سمجھ گیا میں

اب مقصدِ خدا سوچ رہا ہوں

j

جو گلے تھے  سب کر لیے

نئی وجہِ گلہ سوچ رہا ہوں

j

کم عقلی ایسی کے مقتل میں

سزاِ جرمِ وفا سوچ رہا ہوں

j

سوداِ عشق تو گھاٹے کا تھا

کیا دے کیا ملا؟ سوچ رہا ہوں

j

استاد متمنی ہے میری دعا کا

کیسے کروں دعا؟ سوچ رہا ہوں

How could I tell you

What I am thinking about

A gift, a boon and its reward

That’s what

j

And I understand the reasons

Behind man’s creation

Now why

The creation of God?

j

I had things to say to you

And I said them all

As complaints

Now I am thinking of new ones

j

And even though

I stand in the killing fields

I am not smart enough to realize

The punishment for honesty

j

Since love was a trade

I suffered a huge loss

I gave up what for what

I think about that

j

And he wants me to pray for him

However

I do not know

How to pray