Aurat Kehlaun...........

My poem "Aurat Kehlaaun" the feelings of a woman being killed in the name of honor...which got me introduced to WE CAN end honor killing campaign and was the start of my movement towards contributing in fighting against the crime of karo kari (honor killing). A very thanks to Oxfam GB for their support and to Samina Pirzada for the encouragement.

Garm Hawa

Tapti dhup

Mati hi mati

Main dur dur tak nazar doraaon

Par apnu ko na paaon

Wo jo saey meraey uper mandla rahay hain

Un ko jan kar bhi na jan paaon

Baichain ho jaaon

Pyasi so jaaon

Mera naam achanak yun pukaray koi

Main uth kar chillaaun

Chillaaun

Or chillaaun

Na ray bhai mujhay mat mar!

Na ray aba mujhay mat mar!

Na ray samaj mujhay mat mar!

Meri awaz dhundhlaii hui zehnun main

Dhundlai hui si

Kisi tak na puhchay

Ya agar sunnay bhi paaey koi

To mujh say mun pheray

Puchna buhat chahun

Puch hi na paaun

Dil hi dil main sisakti jaaon

Kis gunah ki saza miley hay mujhay?

Kis galati ka azala milay hay mujhay?

Meray sawalun ka jawab

Meray apnay pas tak nahi

Meri ankhay to hairat ka manzar bani

Takti hay unko

Jo thay buhat apnay

Par paraaey ho gaey

Jhat say

is parai dunya main kho gaey

dhundun main unko

dhund hi na paun

pagal si ho jaaon

sawalun may kho jaaon

ik saya mera haath pakarnay laga

han mera apna karib agaya

han ab main akeli nahi hun rahi

par haaey kyun mujhay yun ghasita jaa raha hay?

kya manzil karib araha hay?

main sawal duhraun…..

par us say pehlay

ik awaz bhyanak si aei kidhar say

ik chot si mehsus karjaaon

samajh hi na paun

girti hi jaun

andheri zehnun ki mari hui

andheron ki taraf main hun chali

har taraf meray ghup andhera cha raha hay

mereay moat ka waqt qarib araha hay

kya yeh hay manzil meri?

kya is tarah mar jaaon?

kari ho jaaon….

Kiya is liya

ki aurat kehlaaon?