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Last Prayer

—Rafiq Azad
Last Prayer b &&
—Rafiq Azad
II is not for me
II is for the trees I love rain. What else can I ask myself at this age ? I want for my children
A cottage covered with dense trees;
I no longer need heavy rain for myself—
Under the Unshed
My children will sleep — by the side of husband or wife — But then let it rain incessantly.
For myself what is the use offlavoured fine rice ?
The indignity scorched life is somehow passing by with coarse rice /
Let my children feel no pebble grain under their teeth— These are the little things I want — what more Can I ask from this society ?
In real sense there is not much
I can ask for myself anew —
Once even this wretched poor had wishes and fondness
For so many things — had the wish
Of sleeping in a lovely bed —
Would dream of things famous and rare
In my dream there was an uninterrupted stretch of Tundra or Prairie.
Had the queen of Egypt in it, lost continent, the Andies mountain range —
Yamuna and Amazon along with all the rivers of the world; That I could come down on virgin soil like Vasco Da Gama, Would cross the track of silky grass or arid grey desert In moonlit night mounted on a sturdy horse, alone — Mounted on a horse with my eyes filled with wonder and awe Would I come face to face with the sea —
After the oceanic-copulation is over with my feet on the stirrup
Would plunge into the womb of the potbellied sea ...
, Now I myself is an amnesiac Buddhist ruin !
All my dreams are buried in memories; just like The ruins of ambition, in mental Mahasthangarh !
It is not for myself, affection wells up today
For the trees—
Ordinary plantain leaves—even they draw me close — affection wells up
I long to hold close to my heart the drenched verdant plantain leaves
I long to see the trees free from dust refreshingly drenched
I long to immerse my two eyes all the time in the greenery of the trees
The trees mistakenly look like the faces of my children — I no longer have any ambition — this is the last prayer; Let my children grow up holding the hands of the trees.
Translated by : Syed Maqsud Jamil