Somewhere between scribbling into the margins of my notebook and staying up late in the company of words, I think I’ve fallen in love with the sentiment and intimate intonation Hindi and Urdu poetry.

The following piece is an old, handwritten poem that I found written on a crumpled piece of notebook paper in the bottom of my drawer last week. To all my fellow Hindi and Urdu poetry lovers, I hope you enjoy the poem 🙂

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Kabhi kabhi darr lagta hai-
kahin yun hi guzar na jaaye zindagi,
jaise kisi kitab ke safhon se miti hui kahani

jaise hawa mai posheeda ek lamha ud jaata hai,
jaise subha ki shabnam dhoop mai kho jaati hai;
na koi imaarat, na dastaan
na koi naam-o-nishaan.

Magar tasalli milti hai,
ki nazron ke peeche reh jaungi mai,
ki samundar ki aahon main
apne alfaaz likh jaungi mai,
ki mitti mai apne qadam sajaungi mai,
aur is la-mehdood duniya mai mehfooz kahin
meri sargoshi hogi!

Yours truly,
Divi