How I languish in your toe-ring; all desires are withdrawn from me!
Since your breath on my forehead, even sighs are withdrawn from me!
You ask me: why I don’t go out, out in the world, like yesterday—
Since your eyes were cast on me, all eyes are withdrawn from me!
Colours in my garden, colours in my eyes, colours in every face around:
My dreams, the colour of your hair—all dyes are withdrawn from me!
No more I can look away from you; ask me no more to hold my gaze:
Alas, I now speak only the truth—all lies are withdrawn from me!
The bureaucrats who suspected me, have now renounced their hopes—
Seeing me hum your name all night, their spies are withdrawn from me!
O Qasim, how my heart wells up, these days for my assailants, too:
And whatever handful there were, even allies are withdrawn from me!
Photograph Courtesy: Nicolas Izern, Pixabay.
Arup K. Chatterjee 