1.11

saifuddin saif lived in amritsar till the partition in 1947. even during his college years his writing was already popular and he had built a following amongst students even then. he moved to lahore and continued to write poetry, a lot of it filled with the poignancy of love and separation. i have not been able to find much information on this poet on the internet though.

here’s the piece that i have chosen. the first couplet itself touched me, particularly the imagery of “qazaa se aankh ladi hai”…



qariib maut kha.Dii hai zaraa Thahar jaao
qazaa se aa.Nkh la.Dii hai zaraa Thahar jaao

[qazaa=death]

thakii thakii sii fazaaye.N bujhe bujhe taare
ba.Dii udaas gha.Dii hai zaraa Thahar jaao

nahii.n ummiid ki ham aaj kii sahar dekhe.n
ye raat ham pe ka.Dii hai zaraa Thahar jaao

abhii na jaao ki taaro.n kaa dil dha.Dakataa hai
tamaam raat pa.Dii hai zaraa Thahar jaao

phir is ke baad kabhii ham na tum ko roke.nge
labo.n pe saa.Ns a.Dii hai zaraa Thahar jaao

dam-e-firaaq me.n jii bhar ke tum ko dekh to luu.N
ye faisale kii gha.Dii hai zaraa Thahar jaao

[dam-e-firaaq=moment of separation]