1
When 'Be' was not yet said, nor was
there flesh-bone scheme or plan;
When Adam had not yet received
his form, was not yet man;
Then my relationship began,
my recognition too.
2
"Am I not thy Lord?" came a voice;
a voice so sweet and clear;
And I said: "yes" with all my heart
when I this voice did hear;
And with a bond I did adhere
that moment to my love
3
Ere God created souls, by saying;
"Be",-all one they were;
Together were they-and behold
my kinship started there-
I still this recognition bear
with thee, Beloved mine.-
II
4
A prisoner I by destiny...
or who would want, these forts
"We nearer than thy life's vein are"
to that home I will flee-
When will I be from mansions free
and reach my Maru sweet?
5
I'll burn these houses...Mansions tall
that shorn of loved-ones are-
"All things return to their origin"
that's my longing's call;
May I walk home, away from all
and see my land 'malir'.
6
No news, no dream vouchsafed to me
no messenger doth come;
From 'there to here', there's no reply,
no answer to my plea-
Princes, I know not what must be
accounts you did render.
7
O God, do send the messenger
who will my message bear-
I do belong to them, although
to own me they don't care...
I hold the pen within my hand,
may some one paper spare;
Tears check my writing, in despair
O'er pen they fall and fall.
8
Scores of patches my bodice shows,
my head with rags is decked-
I to my people hoped to go
and all robes did reject;
My shawl from Dhat, may God protect
its virtue to hide my shame.
9
In the condition that I came,
could I return in same-
What glory, like a seasonal rain
what joy would I reclaim.
10
Amighty God, let it not be
that I in bondage die
Enchained my body night and day,
doth weep in misery-
O let me first my homeland see
and then my days let end.
11
O where is my distinction gone?
my beauty and my grace?
My homeland I can never seek
in this condition base;
If beauty granted be then face
I dare Beloved one.
12
Omar, my face so dirty is,
my beauty now is done;
And yet, I have to go where none
without beauty's received.
III
13
Fair Marui does not wash her hair,
She does not smile or eat,
On Omar's justice relies she
who robbed her freedom sweet;-
"The havoc you have wrought, you'll meet
at your arrival 'there'."
14
Fair Marui does not wash her hair,
clotted it is, ugly
The nomad folks of desert land
live in her memory-
"Omar, parted from them, unfree
I'll ne'er in forts reside."
15
Fair Marui does not wash her hair,
for Malir longeth she...
Only when prince doth set her free
balance restored will be...
Whole desert will drink milk, for glee
when 'trust' is safe returned.
16
There is no force to make them pine,-
no taxes in their land,
They gather lovely flowers red
for mangers of their kine-
Malir with lustrous smiles doth shine
there priceless marus are.
17
Loved-one I never can forget;
my mind with him is filled-
Nothing you see is like Him, so
to sight he does not yield;
Because, loved-one His house has built
in negativity.-
18
Omar, for me your mansions grand
a double torture are;
Here you torment me...there, so far
loved-ones accuse me too.
19
To Maru needle joined my breath,
a needle, oh so fine,
My heart is there, my earthy flesh
must here to force resign;
My breath is in the thatch divine
my body's to mansions bound.
20
The needle's Beauty, ne'er shall I
compare with kingliness;
The needle covers naked ones
but not 'itself' doth dress;
The twice-born only can possess
knowledge of its loveliness.
IV
21
"Palatial doors and windows I
will build for thee, Marui-
But here now...lovely canopies
I shall raise over thee...
Those who did ne'er enquiries make
why so continously
You weep for them? something must be
wrong with the desert-folk."
22
"How to forget him, whom my mem'ry
holds for ever more?"
Since: "am I not thy Lord?" was uttered,
or e'en long before;
Ere: Born He's not...gives birth to none
from the inane did soar.-
Remem'ering Him-Marui so sore
may die today or tomorrow.
23
Threads Maru round my wrists tied...gold
fine gold they are for me;
Omar, don't offer silks to rustic
maid, they leave me cold-
Because much dearer I do hold
my worn ancestral shawl.
24
Were I to breathe my last, looking
to my home longingly-
My body don't imprison here
in bondage and unfree-
A stranger from her love away
not bury separately;
The cool earth of the desert let
the dead one's cover be;
When last breath comes, O carry me
to Malir, I implore.
25
As oyester long for cloud, and cranes
long for their native-hills.
So deepest longing my heart strains
till nought of life remains.-
How would I sit here, if not chains
held me a prisoner?
26
The wounds that happy rustics left
today fester again-
Sumro, sorrow dwells in me
of every joy bereft;
From Maru's separation, cleft
is every bone of mine.
V
27
My girl-friends in reproachful mood,
today sent word to me:
"Silly one, you perhaps have eaten
much of princely food,
Abd friends, and your relations good
you have frogotten all."
28
In corners of the fort, to quell
her grief Marui doth mourn
Remembering Malir, she doth weep,
makes others weep as well-
O may the maid reach home and dwell
amongst her Marus soon.
29
"Would that I never had been born,
or died at birth"...she says;
"O what a torture, shame and scorn
to Marus I became."
30
Destiny brought me here...reside
I do unhappy here;
My body's here-my heart is there
where Maru doth abide;
May God now turn this sorrow's tide
and let me meet my love.-
31
The lightenings are now newly dressed,
the season doth return;
Mine eyes do not stop drizzling...for
ancestral land they yearn-
I would not with such sadness burn
if they would think of me.
32
If looking to my native land
with longing I expire;
My body carry home, that I
may rest in desert-stand;
My bones if Malir reach, at end,
though dead, I'll live again.
VI
33
A messenger arrived'this day
authentic news conveys;
"Do not forget your distant love
and do not die", he says,
You shall reach home; only few days
in this fort you may stay?
34
The one who from my homeland came,
oh at his feet I fall-
And to this traveller, my heart
did open, telling all-
An instant more behind this wall
to be, how I abhor.
35
"Don't cry, don't weep and fret;
shed no tears of dismay;
Whatever days appear,
O let them pass away,-
For after sorrow, joy
O Marui, comes to stay-
Desert maid know, your chains
by destiny's own sway
Are moved, and now you may
throw them into the fire."
36
Omar, a traveller I did meet
today, with news for me.-
And as he stood and message gave
from the Beloved sweet
I felt all sufferings did retreat
and my chains all did fall.
37
My iron shackels all are gone.-
Love's chains unyielding are.
Unhappy days without Marus
in mansions, life did mar...
My countrymen, they are too far
reproach them I cannot.-
38
Good were the days that I in pain
in tortuous prison passed;
Storms roared above threateningly,
my cries for help were vain;
But lo: my love by prison chain,
was chastened, purified.
39
The days I passed in deep depair,
away from homeland mine,-
My tribesmen will reproach me, if
my face looks washed and fair-
So to their thatches I'll repair
to wash off mansion dirt!
40
"Don't weep, nor cry in agony
but when the world's asleep;
At night raise both your little hands
to God, and hopeful be-
Where you wedded were, brave Marui
'that homeland' thou shalt see,"
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