Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim

Manhattan

A poem by Syed Hamid Yazdani (saheb)

Hemmed in by skyscrapers
a somewhat unfamiliar familiarity gazes downwards
at the clouds.
From the window of half open eyes
a moment comes to stop
at the Time Square, holding
a sign which lights up, goes out.
Is it life or a yellow cab
which blows its horn and passes by?
A police car, an ambulance,
a noise fading out suddenly,
paving the way to death.
Countless feet slowly
move towards Broadway
"Proceed to the nearest road",
the navigator cries out.
Bluetooth germinates in the ear.
How long can anyone
remain on one's feet, in panic
within the evening of a cold forest?
A glance, begging for a response,
turns the corner.
How empty is this crowded city
like the inbox of my dreams.

Source: From One Loneliness to Another
Urdu Poems by: Syed Hamid Yazdani saheb
Translated by: M. Salim-ur-Rahman saheb
Posted with permission from the author.

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