For the beloved witness

As soon as I think of you old friend, I cry.

I wail that I never knew you

I never will know you now

But you left a volume under the window sill

I wonder who it was for ?

I wish I knew you old friend

So that you and I could take a long walk

Along the bund you so loved

We would talk of birds and their songs

Of Lorca and his qasidas

Of Faiz and your eternal love, begum Akhter

And one day we you would talk to me about Rizwan

But we will never take that walk now, old friend

You had promised you would die in autumn,

in Kashmir.

But you died in winter

Far away from Kashmir.

Why did you break your promise?

Old friend,

But we shall meet again, ……

(For the beloved witness)

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For posterity

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Tasenda

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