Punjabi Poems

Punjabi NazmaN

Welcome to Punjabi Poems (in Roman script) at Uddari. Contact Fauzia at uddari@live.ca to submit poems for this page.

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26. ‘Kitab Trinjan’ by Zubair Ahmed
25. Bhagat Singh DehaR, ‘Nee mayaiN mera rung dae basanti chola’, two poems by Mudasar Punnu
24. Jandi var da Dhola by Zubair Ahmad
23. Kuj vi NahiN da Rung by Surjeet Kalsey
22. Sohn MukhtaraN! By Fauzia Rafiq (For MukhtaraN Mai)
21. Yaar da Ditta Haar by Fauzia Rafiq
20. Kikli 13 July by Fauzia Rafiq (July 13/08 ‘honor’ killings of five Baloch women)
20a. Kikli 13 July Punjabi Sahmukhi
19. Fauzia of Mir Wah by Fauzia Rafiq, English
19a. Mir Wah de Fauzia Shahmukhi
18. Mir Wah de benaam Chhori by Fauzia Rafiq
18a. Mir Wah de benaam Chhori Shahmukhi
17. Swal Jannat da NahiN by Fauzia Rafiq, Roman
17a. Swaal Jannat da NahiN Shahmukhi
16. Vaen (mourning) by Fauzia Rafiq
16a. Vaen Shahmukhi
15. Hun MainuN Na Ro by Fauzia Rafiq
14. Kaal (Famine) by Hamraz Ahsan
13. Painda (Distance) by Hamraz Ahsan
12. Kot Moka (Prison Wall) by Hamraz Ahsan
11. Folk Song ‘Sammi’ in Punjabi Roman and English translation by Amarjit Chandan and Sidharth
11a. Folk Song Sammi by Sidharth, MP3 Format
10. ‘Lassan’ by Amarjit Chandan recited by John Berger, English, MP3 Format
9. ‘Identity Card’ by Mahmoud Darwish in Punjabi and English Translated in Punjabi by Fauzia Rafiq
8. Kalli by Ajmer Rode
7. NaviN MutyAr by Mashoo
6. SadraN de Peeng by Mashoo
5. Lamba Painda by Mashoo
4. Zahra de BooTi by Fauzia Rafiq
3. Sabq PkawaN by Fauzia Rafiq
2. PyAr de ChiRi by Fauzia Rafiq
2a. Sparrow of Love English Translation
1. Social Self de LoR by Fauzia Rafiq
1a. The Need for a Social Self English Translation
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24.
Jandi var da Dhola
Zubair Ahmad

Jad asseiN milnae aaN shevaN hundiaN naiN
Milni rooh da sawa ghhah ae aas hawa ae
Dil dae chup paniaN vichoN anchhoi nighh koi vehndi ae
Roz dehaR naal nit ban.di nit TuTdi shakl khaindi ae
Din tarla ae namaan khabaN da
Raat jehda dard sehndi, lehndi ae
Per lok apnae hisab tardae
Guzri dae katch toN’ milni dae pakhh toN Dardae
Cha’ peyaliaN vich deiN dard vechhoRa bhogdae naiN
Honi dae sach toN Dardae
Apni tali te apna ee sufnay moldae naiN
Koi ehnaN dee kahani keiweiN kar sakda ae
Apni kahani nooN jo apeiN ve nahiN kholdae naiN

Shahmukhi published in Monthly Pancham Lahore, December 2008.
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23.
Kuj vi NahiN da Rung
by Surjeet Kalsey

kora kagz
ik sfaid punna
akhraN bin skhana
kuj vi nahiN da rung
shavet nichoh berung –
rachiya hoya hai par jis vich
meri hoNd da rung
shabdaN dy naad da rung
budh-vivaik da rung
chaann dhoti rooh da rung
kaNchan vargi dyh da rung
vydun khan shan da rung
jeen theen hon da rung
bekdraN dy sung vich hoye
yeh satey rung berung.

shochaN dy jharnyaN vichoN
futdiyaN chandi diyaN taraN
athrooaN da sucha sucha rung
pardarshi rooh dy such da rung
duor duor tak failey khalay vich
bharam dy ahsas da
teri meri zaat da
maut jiha rung
manfi kiti zindgi da rung
bekdraN dy sung vich hoye
yeh sabhey rung berung
rh giya kora kagz
ik sfaid punna
akhraN bin sakhana
kuj vi naiN da rung.

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22.
Sohn MukhtaraN!
By Fauzia Rafiq

Terae pairaN haiThhaN jutti
jutti thallae nissaldi mitti
soohae rang vich ghol
mathae tae lawaN
Ek mitti Punjabi
utae tera parchhawaN
Inj laggae Bibo
ajjo dil.dlairee pawaN

MukhtaraN Bibi: A (the) Great Punjabi Woman!
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21. Yaar da Ditta Haar by Fauzia Rafiq
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20. Kikli 13 July by Fauzia Rafiq (July 13/08 ‘honor’ killings of five Baloch women)
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20a. Kikli 13 July Punjabi Sahmukhi
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19. Fauzia of Mir Wah by Fauzia Rafiq, English
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19a. Mir Wah de Fauzia Shahmukhi
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18. Mir Wah de benaam Chhori by Fauzia Rafiq
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18a. Mir Wah de benaam Chhori Shahmukhi
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17. Swal Jannat da NahiN by Fauzia Rafiq, Roman
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17a. Swaal Jannat da NahiN Shahmukhi
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16. Vaen (mourning) by Fauzia Rafiq
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16a. Vaen Shahmukhi
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15. Hun MainuN Na Ro by Fauzia Rafiq
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14. Kaal (Famine) by Hamraz Ahsan
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14.
Kaal (Famine)
Hamraaz Ahsan

Saadae gharaaN ve vaikhhay dhooN asmaani charrhdae
Vehrray chullaih buldae
badlaaN dae thunn bhurdae
sadeyaaN kandhaaN nooN ve paaye huriyaaN vailaaN juphhae
sadae kothae toN ve chog pakhoo nooN labhae
kakhaaN nooN hun kuchharr chuk ke jithae phirdi waa
oss maidaaneiN khaiddan waalae baalaaN settee andar bolan da vul aunda se
aj te akhh dae sheeshae utte pathar vailae da parchhaawan
jandi var dee tukni kud ais umber vich trairraan paasi
muThhi andar aas de mittee bhurdi jandi
…
JuhT de gul ae
Saddee moorat paar smundar jaana
Cameray de akhh sadda ‘maas hanair’ phrolae
Kee dusso gae paar deo! Hun saaddae baarae
Apnae ruj deyaN qabraaN andar sutae lokaaN nooN!!
Original in Shahmukhi

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13.
Painda (Distance)
Hamraaz Ahsan

VichkaaroN TuTae saah
sochaaN paya gaah
akhh de phhahi vichoN tukae agli raah
rukhan haiThh cha baithae, rukhaN maas khawan da cha
Wa phairae huth siraaN te, dhaye swandae
banheiN phurh vikhaye’ sidhae bunnae paindae
chaar chofairae pukki jaa
thurae mil khloti asmanaN jehi blaa
TurnaN ee taN sng rlaa

Painda maar mukaa
TooN ve lungh vekha!!
Original in Shahmukhi

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12.
Kot Moka (The Prison Wall)

Yaar kadi main Kot Moka Tupp jawaN
Kandh naal lugg ke sunsaaN awaz alarm de
Fer main dil toN puchhsaN
Kehnda nahiN saaN ek din sujnaN chhuT janaN

MainuN umroN qaid treekhi’ mere lakhh muqadmae waal
MainuN ghatt klawae dukdae
Mainun barkaN dendeyaN awaz
Ghallae chakiyaN band salam

KhhojiyaN nupp vekhaya’ khura mere ghar taieeN aya
ChhaRhi vurdi paa ke raat, paye dhummi de jud jhaat
Chaa bhoeeN te lummae payae
Kujh phuTae’ kujh kothi layae
JinhaN ‘pindae neel krayae’
Puchhan tere vehReyoN keekan sooraj langheya?

AsaaN inkari haaN jail dae
SanoN Milan kissae na aanaN
AsaaN kot moka Tupp jana
AsaaN kot moka Tupp jana!!

(KaideyaN de boli vich ‘kot moka’ jail de kundh nooN kehndae naiN)

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11. Folk Song ‘Sammi’ in Punjabi Roman and English translation by Amarjit Chandan and Sidharth
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11a. Folk Song Sammi by Sidharth, MP3 Format
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10. ‘Lassan’ by Amarjit Chandan recited by John Berger, English, MP3 Format
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9. ‘Identity Card’ by Mahmoud Darwish in Punjabi and English Translated in Punjabi by Fauzia Rafiq
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8.
Kalli
Ajmer Rode

Kalli followed me 8 miles
to the market where cattle were traded
or sold like slaves.
Cows goats bullocks camels…
Kalli was black beautiful and six
the prime age for a water buffalo.
She was dry. Repelled bulls as if she had
decided not to get pregnant again.
Hard to afford, my father decided
to sell her. Kalli seemed to understand.
She obeyed as I led her
by the steel chain, one end in my hand
the other around her neck.
I was fifteen. Her nervousness was over
soon after we entered the market
where sellers occupied
their given spaces like matrimonials
on a large weekly page.
Kalli sat with no emotion on her face
like an ascetic close to nirvana.
I sat stood walked around like a
neglected calf. No body bought Kalli.
She followed me 8 miles back home
with no questions in her eyes.
I wasn’t sure if my father was sad
or glad to see Kalli back. He just
looked at her like a family member
who had missed the train.

Recently added to Poetryinternationalweb with seven additional poems by Rode. View them here: india.poetryinternationalweb.org
Both the Indian editor Arundhathi Subramaniam and international editor Wendy Davies commented particularly on ‘Kalli’, a poem reflecting on the bonding between human and animal life in Punjab. The poem was also displayed with a painting ‘Homecoming’ (Jarnail Singh – Discovering the soul of Punjab) in a Surrey Arts Gallery exhibition in 2004.
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7.
NaviN MutyAr
by Mashoo

Sach ek nanga pinda ae
JinhoN vaikh ke dil sharmanda ae
Ni massi raat haneri se
HuDAn vich peeR vadheri se
Pur pata si uThna paina ae
MainoN bhukay gidh pai ghoorday se
KhambAN vich boAt lako littay
Aiwain din langhay
Te kai varhay
Jee karda se uddari bharAN
Pur ehnAN rAkhi kaun karae
Kadi dil da rut pyaya se
Kadi aap bani saaN maiN baallun
MaiN Aas umeed de mitti naal
Himmat di moorat ghaRdi se
duniya ek baldae bhambaR taun
maiN pyAr da channan mangdi se
nikRae hath, gilliyAN akhAN
te DahDae sohnae hAssae
buhut sunn merae jewan layee
sAlAN de qaid musshaqat vich
Aj ohnaN uddari mAri ae
Te maiN naviN mutyAr bani
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6.
SadrAN de Peeng
by Mashoo

GuddiaN Patoalae
KhaedaN hAsae
Tapdi tandoori
GhaRae da pani
Kapah dae doadae
SaroN da boota
Kachae bunae
Lal haveli
Te meri sadrAN de peeng
Aj ve akhAN vich wasdae naiN…

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5.
Lamba painda
by Mashoo

Apni miTi de khushbo
Kitae Asae pAsae wasdi ae
Koi apna kidrae naeRae ae
Dil tAyoN gidha paunda ae
Aj rowan rowan hasda ae
Dil wang machEti machda ae
Pur Thair zara mun bayparwah
Ajae lamba painda rehnda ae
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4.
Zahra de BooTi
Fauzia Rafiq

Zahra de BooTi aaN
mainun phul kiwaiN na lagae

Zahra deye bootiye
tooN kehnjae phul khRaaye
gulcheeN chambeli motia
saryoN ukk gulab

Zahra diyaN bootiyaN
Te phal vdehrae aayae
peelae neelae sawae kalae
chiTae jamuN laal

Wa lathae khushboaN chawae
keeR mkauR ve vul vul aawae
vailae kvalae aasae paasae
chrind prind fzawaN

Zahra diyaN booTiyaN
nit hariyaN bhariyaN khaRiyaN

June 2008
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3.
Sabq PkawaN
Fauzia Rafiq

Kurbal kurbal kardae
kujh keeRae androN kaDH ke
sheeshae de sheeshee vich DakaN
kheesae andar rakhaN
vairi jud koi koloN langhae
bhar bhar mooth chlawaN
koi na sajn har koi vairi
apnae keeRae har vich pawaN

Kapi bhari ehnaN sabqaN meri
sainTaN mar sikhawan
‘Dhawn niva, maaN yuhweae
tera koi na sajn har koi vairi
apnae keeRae har vich pa, dhawn niva’

Seis niva ke bootae koloN
gulcheiN de phul mangae
DaThae sandal deyaN lakRaN cha
chanani raat vich kali beh
bagheiN bhanbhR baal
eh sabq savi handi vich
main nimi bha pkaya

Chan jud Dubya
eho kha kha uTheiN aaN

Lahore 2006

Shahmukhi Version of ‘Sabq PkawaN’ by Fauzia Rafiq published in Monthly Pancham Lahore Nov-Dec 2006
To acquire a copy or to subscribe or submit to Pancham, click here: punjabibooksonline.com/submissions.html#PANCHAM
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2.
Peyar de ChiRi
By Fauzia Rafiq

DilaaN dae alneyaN tooN uDdi uDdi
peyar de ek nikRi chiRi
aatshi gulabi AnDa dae gaye
ehda hun keh kraaN?
AiNwaiN talee te manti rooN praaN da sek lwavaaN
bouT jo niklae danah pawaaN
vekh uDariyaN mun parchawaN
YaaN vul
Neelay peelay phul bana
Dabae vich pa
Draing room sjawaaN
Utay likhaaN ‘hath na lao, peyar da nazuk AnDa’
Ya muR
BHukdi BHah tae tiRkdae tael vich
tauR fry AnDa
aj swairae nashtae te kHawaN

Lahore 2007

Shahmukhi Version of ‘Peyar de ChiRi’ by Fauzia Rafiq published in Monthly Pancham Lahore March 2007.
To acquire a copy or to subscribe or submit to Pancham, click here: punjabibooksonline.com/submissions.html#PANCHAM

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2a.
Sparrow of Love
By Fauzia Rafiq

Flying over the nests of hearts
a small sparrow of love
laid down a shocking pink egg
What should I do with it now?
Just
on the palm give it warmth with cotton and feathers
feed grain when the chick comes out
see it soar in the air and enjoy
Or
Draw blue and yellow flowers, place it in a box
Decorate my drawing room
Write on it ‘Don’t Touch, a fragile egg of love’
Or then
In sizzling oil and burning fire
break, make fried egg
to eat for breakfast this morning

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1.
Social Self de LoR
Fauzia Rafiq

Lagda ai, mainuN
Ek social self de loR ai
Rah chalday puchday naiN, Bibi
Chunga matha ghar choR ayuN?
Koi khlo ke dasday naiN, Madam
Social self sastah jeha milda ai
tuseiN ve lai lavo
koi bilha ke ahnday naiN, Fauzia Jee
vasaibi aapa koi opri shay nahiN
tuhada apna ee part ai
sabh kol hunda ai, tuhaday kol ve howay ga

yaad painda ai
kisay time, apnay jeha ek butt
main apnay aap tay chuRHdyaN vekhya se
performer de leeRyan andar, vekhan-wal da panda
mairyaN nussaaN diyaN bailaaN phaR ke ditay hoay kujh rustyaN vichoN
ek rastay te Turya se
ride te chungi se
pur nuss nuss andar mera sah aTkda rehnda se
butt da bhaar ve hunda ai
main saah ghut ke rutt THul lye

ek dehaRay, kujh vurHyaN andar
main vekhya
social self da bhais vTa ke
mainuN marda choR
koi naTHya janda se
oss de baad
na main choya na hath aya
maafi deo cha
har kaheiN kol har kujh kithaaN hunda ai

Lahore 2006

Shahmukhi Version of ‘Social Self de LoR’ by Fauzia Rafiq published in Monthly Pancham, Lahore
September-October 2007, p.44-45
To acquire a copy or to subscribe or submit to Pancham, click here: punjabibooksonline.com/submissions.html#PANCHAM

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1a.
The Need for a Social Self
Fauzia Rafiq

It seems, I am
in need of a social self
passers by ask, Bibi
Did you leave your good face at home?
Some stop and say, Madam
Social self is available for cheap
You go get it
Some sit me beside them and say, Fauzia Jee
Social self is nothing alien
but a part of you
everyone has it, you must have it too

I remember
at one point, I saw a figure like myself
climbing over me
In the guise of a performer, the body of a spectator
holding the wines of my veins from the given ways
it began walking on one
Ride was okay
but my breath was constricted in each vein
The figure has its weight too
I held my breath and halted my blood

In a few years, one day
i saw
in the guise of the social self
leaving me for dead
someone was running away
After that
i could not find it or touch
Forgive me but
everyone does not get to have everything

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