My mistress.

''My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;
Coral is far more red than her lips' red;
If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;
If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.
I have seen roses damasked, red and white,
But no such roses see I in her cheeks,
And in some perfumes there is more delight
Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.
I love to hear her speak, yet well I know
That music hath a far more pleasing sound;
I grant I never saw a goddess go:
My mistress when she walks treads on the ground.
And yet by heaven I think my love as rare
As any she belied with false compare.''

                                                                                                                                - William Shakespeare (1564-1616).

*****

Kismat

Kismat walon ko milta hai pyar kay badlay pyar
hum ko pholoon ko badlay kantoon kay haar

kitnay jatan kiyay mainay paas rehkay
pyar mera phir mujh say door tha
itna bataday mujh ko zalim zamanay
is main mera kiya kusoor tha
jeete taqdeer hui aaj mairee haar
kismat walon ko milta hai pyar kay badlay pyar

sada khush rahay to yehi daiti hain duaein
tujh ko mairee bayzabaniyan
aaj majboor hokay chorh chala hoon
yadoo ki teri nishaniaan
laykay chala aankhoon main aansoon ki dhar
kismat walon ko milta hai pyar kay badlay pyar

                                                                          -Zafar Iqbal

The Dracula has risen from the grave

Full moon shedding on earth

The shining silvery shade,

Roaring sea waves

In their attempt to catch the moon

Rising in high tides,

Failing and flowing along the coast

On the crystalline sand all wide.

Nearby,

In the dark and dense mango grove,

Two big deadly cobras dancing,

Twisting and spinning,

With long loud hissing

Unmindful of the situation

Were in their love making,

Spit the venom on the prey

With no time even to pray.

Away, the city clock tower

Patiently striking loud twelve

Howling dogs, hooting owls

Dark clouds surrounding the moon.

Suddenly, from the grave

The Dracula has risen from the coffin

Blood thirsty, eyes fiery

Its blood-stained mouth,

With sharp protruding canine teeth

Half decayed smelly flesh

Hair spread, body skeleton, nails lengthy

Making strange scary noise

It was roaming in search

For fresh human blood.

Then, it saw her

Approaching the rough sea

Behind her it went

Held her by her shoulder

And pulled her near,

Saying,” young lady

I am very hungry and thirsty

I am going to suck your blood. “

Unmindful and with no fear,

She said, “I am going to the sea

To drown and die,

If my blood can quench

Your hunger and thirst,

Happy to give it to you. “

Then the Dracula laughed loudly,

Ha, ha, ha, ……ha, ha.

“Why the laugh?” she asked.

Dracula said, “Sitting there a man

With similar tweet

Why can’t you go and meet? “

She went there to see him,

Seeing her he came running,

Embraced her and said,

“You, my love, here ?

I was going to the sea

To drown and die.”

She said,

“Then let us die together,

Life has not united us

 Let the death unite us.”

Holding his hand, deep into the sea

Together they walked, walked…..

With tear in its eyes

Dracula was standing on the shore, saying

 “Bye, your wish of union being fulfilled,

Like me, you need not hang in this world. “

Souls of the lovers happily flying high in the sky

Huge wave brought together

 Their life-less bodies to the shore.

With hunger and thirst not quenched,

The Dracula returned  to its coffin and grave.

*****
                                                                     - As you like it.

Holy Palmers' Kiss

(Romeo & Juliet)

 ROMEO To JULIET:

 If I profane with my unworthiest hand
This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this:
My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand
To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.

JULIET :
Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much,
Which mannerly devotion shows in this;
For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch,
And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss.

ROMEO :
Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?

JULIET :
Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.

ROMEO :
O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do;
They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.

JULIET :
Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake.

ROMEO :
Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take.
Thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged.

JULIET
Then have my lips the sin that they have took.

ROMEO: 
Sin from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged!
Give me my sin again.

JULIET :
You kiss by the book

                                                            - William Shakespeare

Love in Eden Garden

 Garden  of  Eden

With  shy, 

hiding  behind  the  dark  cloudy  hair;

With  sparkling  smile, 

her  full-moon  face  looking  very  fair.

Fragrant  beauty  of 

the  rose  below,
 with  deep  feelings 

showing  the  red  glow!

Pouring  showers  of 

ecstasy  as  she  drench, 

Whether  her  thirst 

will  it  quench?

 

As her overwhelming 

beauty is in adoration,

 Exalted emotion is 

in exhilaration!

 

I  do  remember 

the  night  of  that  day,
She  entered  the  room 

in  extreme  shy.

The  divine  lamp 

throwing  the  dim  light,
But  her  happy  face 

glowing  bright!

She  enhanced  the  beauty  of 

the  gold  and  silk,
With  shy  in  lowered  eyes, 

she  offered  the  sweet  milk.

Garden  of  Eden  with  full  of  fruits, 

oozing  nectar  and  honey,
Cooing  cuckoo  as  she  was, 

what  a  happy  start  of  life  journey!

The  glowing  lamp 

as  mute  witness
Standing  there, 

our  love  to  assess.

Love, the  union  of  our  souls 

as  oil, it  glow,
No  storm  will  be  able  to 

cause  the  lamp  off  blow!

*****