Dohe on Waqt
“It’s all a matter of
time.” We have heard this and other expressions like this many a time. Apart from our usual notions about time as good or bad, time is also a philosophical concept. We all are subjected to time but we also make time our subject. Poetry in all languages has engaged with the idea and experience of time. Here are some examples from Urdu for you to appraise.
diyā bujhā phir jal jaa.e aur rut bhī palTā khaa.e
phir jo haath se jaa.e samay vo kabhī na lauT ke aa.e
diya bujha phir jal jae aur rut bhi palTa khae
phir jo hath se jae samay wo kabhi na lauT ke aae
motī mūñge kañkar patthar bache na koī bhaa.ī
samay kī chakkī sab ko piise kyā parbat kyā raa.ī
moti munge kankar patthar bache na koi bhai
samay ki chakki sab ko pise kya parbat kya rai
bābū-gīrī karte ho ga.e 'ālī' ko do saal
murjhāyā vo phuul sā chehra bhūre paḌ ga.e baal
babu-giri karte ho gae 'ali' ko do sal
murjhaya wo phul sa chehra bhure paD gae baal
