Seeking horizons – Kaifi Azmi

kaifi Azmi is a very famous Urdu poet in India who has written numerous poems, Gazals or songs. I happened to come across this poetry of his which struck me and has remained with me for many years. His own narration of it, is icing on the cake. His tired voice reciting it, is like a hymn. Some of the words may seem haunting and show longing of the poet to find a utopian land, where he will be happy with all his wishes fulfilled, but once you hear kaifi azmi reciting this poem, who will know the depth of his words.

I have heard many of his songs in old Bollywood movies but this poem is my favorite of his. I wish I could have write and recite like him. Urdu is a beautiful language to express yourself, if you know the vocabulary well.

main dhundta huun jise vo jahan nahin milta
nai zamin naya asman nahin milta

nai zamin naya asman bhi mil jaae
nae bashar ka kahin kuchh nishan nahin milta

khada huun kab se main chehron ke ek jangal men
tumhare chehre ka kuchh bhi yahan nahin milta

vo tegh mil gai jis se hua hai qatl mira
kisi ke haath ka us par nishan nahin milta

jo ik khuda nahin milta to itna matam kya
mujhe khud apne kadam ka nishaan nahi milta 

vo mera gaanv hai vo mere gaanv ke chulhe
ki jin men shole to shole dhuan nahin milta

main dhundta huun jise vo jahan nahin milta
nai zamin naya asman nahin milta

English Translation

The new horizons that I seek are beyond me.
The world I am in search of cannot be found.

Even if I am able to find this new land,
but is there is no sign of a good omen

Here I am standing in the midst of a jungle of faces
and yet it is your countenance that cannot be found.

The arrows that have pierced my heart have been discovered
but the hands that pulled the string cannot be found.

What is the worry if I cannot find God,
when my own footprints cannot be found.

Over there is my village and those are its fireplace,
in which you can neither find any fire nor any smoke

The new horizons that I seek are beyond me.
The world I am in search of cannot be found.

References:

Kaifi Azmi – REBEL With A Cause

Ode To a Nightingale- John Keats

My heart aches, and a drowsy numbness pains
My sense, as though of hemlock I had drunk,
Or emptied some dull opiate to the drains
One minute past, and Lethe-wards had sunk:
‘Tis not through envy of thy happy lot,
But being too happy in thine happiness,—
That thou, light-winged Dryad of the trees,
In some melodious plot
Of beechen green, and shadows numberless,
Singest of summer in full-throated ease.

O, for a draught of vintage! that hath been
Cool’d a long age in the deep-delved earth,
Tasting of Flora and the country green,
Dance, and Provençal song, and sunburnt mirth!
O for a beaker full of the warm South,
Full of the true, the blushful Hippocrene,
With beaded bubbles winking at the brim,
And purple-stained mouth;
That I might drink, and leave the world unseen,
And with thee fade away into the forest dim:

Fade far away, dissolve, and quite forget
What thou among the leaves hast never known,
The weariness, the fever, and the fret
Here, where men sit and hear each other groan;
Where palsy shakes a few, sad, last gray hairs,[109]
Where youth grows pale, and spectre-thin, and dies;
Where but to think is to be full of sorrow
And leaden-eyed despairs,
Where Beauty cannot keep her lustrous eyes,
Or new Love pine at them beyond to-morrow.

Away! away! for I will fly to thee,
Not charioted by Bacchus and his pards,
But on the viewless wings of Poesy,
Though the dull brain perplexes and retards:
Already with thee! tender is the night,
And haply the Queen-Moon is on her throne,
Cluster’d around by all her starry Fays;
But here there is no light,
Save what from heaven is with the breezes blown
Through verdurous glooms and winding mossy ways.

I cannot see what flowers are at my feet,
Nor what soft incense hangs upon the boughs,
But, in embalmed darkness, guess each sweet
Wherewith the seasonable month endows
The grass, the thicket, and the fruit-tree wild;
White hawthorn, and the pastoral eglantine;
Fast fading violets cover’d up in leaves;
And mid-May’s eldest child,
The coming musk-rose, full of dewy wine,
The murmurous haunt of flies on summer eves.

Darkling I listen; and, for many a time
I have been half in love with easeful Death,
Call’d him soft names in many a mused rhyme,
To take into the air my quiet breath;
Now more than ever seems it rich to die,[111]
To cease upon the midnight with no pain,
While thou art pouring forth thy soul abroad
In such an ecstasy!
Still wouldst thou sing, and I have ears in vain—
To thy high requiem become a sod.

Thou wast not born for death, immortal Bird!
No hungry generations tread thee down;
The voice I hear this passing night was heard
In ancient days by emperor and clown:
Perhaps the self-same song that found a path
Through the sad heart of Ruth, when, sick for home,
She stood in tears amid the alien corn;
The same that oft-times hath
Charm’d magic casements, opening on the foam
Of perilous seas, in faery lands forlorn.

Forlorn! the very word is like a bell
To toll me back from thee to my sole self!
Adieu! the fancy cannot cheat so well
As she is fam’d to do, deceiving elf.
Adieu! adieu! thy plaintive anthem fades
Past the near meadows, over the still stream,
Up the hill-side; and now ’tis buried deep
In the next valley-glades:
Was it a vision, or a waking dream?
Fled is that music:—Do I wake or sleep?

Memory – William Wordsworth

A pen–to register; a key–
That winds through secret wards
Are well assigned to Memory
By allegoric Bards.

As aptly, also, might be given
A Pencil to her hand;
That, softening objects, sometimes even
Outstrips the heart’s demand;

That smooths foregone distress, the lines
Of lingering care subdues,
Long-vanished happiness refines,
And clothes in brighter hues;

Yet, like a tool of Fancy, works
Those Spectres to dilate
That startle Conscience, as she lurks
Within her lonely seat.

Oh! that our lives, which flee so fast,
In purity were such,
That not an image of the past
Should fear that pencil’s touch!

Retirement then might hourly look
Upon a soothing scene,
Age steal to his allotted nook
Contented and serene;

With heart as calm as lakes that sleep,
In frosty moonlight glistening;
Or mountain rivers, where they creep
Along a channel smooth and deep,
To their own far-off murmurs listening.

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Topics to write

Given the time we have in hand due to this Pandemic COVID-19, it is an opportunity to write; as we are mostly struck inside the house. There are many topics we come across to write, I was searching online to identify those for my blog. Some of them are pending from my-side, such as the list of characters from Mahabharata, (a Mythological story which I love). The major hurdle becomes the inspiration to start the topic and, in some cases, reading material at your disposal seems to be not good enough.

However, in order to keep yourself disciplined, I read, one must finish the task started. This goes well with the pending list of Characters which I need to focus on. Apart from that, the topics which a blogger or writer can focus on can vary, will try to list them down below. I hope it helps fellow bloggers too.

1. Current affairs – Opinions related to the latest occurring
2. Places – Traveled and in Bucket List
3. Food
4. Movie/Web Series Reviews – Actors, addressing good scripts or movie clips
5. Mythology – I enjoy mythology, I guess being Indian it is part of our daily life. DevDutt Patnaik is a good teacher for me. Netflix has got a good show DevLok.
6. Romanticism
7. Renaissance
8. Gadget reviews
9. History – Indian, European, Middle Eastern and Asian fascinates me
10. Music – Genre which I Enjoyed or essay on an artist
11. Blog – How to improve the blogging experience
12. Psychology – Usually one needs to go through some magazines such as Psychology today or books associated with topics, which may excite you.
13. Book Review – I have done a few in the past, but I can start on them again
14. Space – Items related to recent discovery, space exploration or space technologies
15.  Genetics – I am a massive fan of genetics study, although I never studied Biology but this field inspires me tremendously and I wish to enhance my knowledge.
16. Poetry – Although this is an English blog, but one can try and feature poetry from various languages
17. Teaching – Many thinkers of past, would certainly inspire future generations, their ideas or views can become a source of teaching.
18. Writing – Tips to improve writing, it is a fun activity. Allows one to focus on writing style or specific use of words, to make it more impactful.
19. Mahabharata – The Quotes, Characters, storyline etc, everything is just amazing.
20. Sufism – Music, Literature, Thoughts, lifestyle, thinkers. Sub-continent is heavy influenced by Chisti and Qadari Sufism.
21. Leadership – Considering our world has become a small place owing to technology, we can connect to many people and know about many forms of leadership. Writing about those who inspire you to be a better version of yourself, would be fun and step in the right direction.
22. Satire – If a person has a knack of raising serious topics with a pinch of comedy then, one must try this. I allow one to put across topics and issue which may not be generally be discussed.
23. Video Blog – Last 5-6 years the trend has shifted from writing the blog to rather just recording the video and putting to on social media platforms. Writing about them would be fun.
24. Things to do, before you die – I think everyone must a bucket-list of the things one would do, before they die. This helps one keep motivated and focused towards our goals.
25. Language one is learning or like – The new words or sentences one can try. (Have a new dedicated blog for it)
26. Photography – For this too, I believe one should have a dedicated blog, use a good camera and post it.
27. Technology – The field that one works on, one can write about it and enhance work profile.
28. Bullying/cyber bullying – A major occurrence in this digital age
29. Sports
30. Politics – Although I think this also needs a separate dedicated blog. I really like people Video Blogging on these issues on YouTube. It is more interactive, I think few people like to read nowadays.
31. Economics – Reviewing Economics books and occurring in market will be fun.

If I missed out on any point, please feel free to add them or give recommendations. Writing is form of a meditation, when you are alone with your thoughts and allows you organize your mind and focus on the tasks which needs attention.