The Brothers Kathwari
after Iqbal
You know the secret
I lack depth
You have a home
I’m a wanderer
You control the sky
I’m prisoner of desire
You profit by interest earned
I’m losing the race
Your ships float in the air
My boat is without a sail
Restless, you’re spring
I’m fall
You’re weak. You’re strong
I’m this. I’m that. So?
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Translation created from the original Urdu by Rafiq Kathwari who has a new collection of poems “My Mother’s Scribe” available here.