Beyond the dwelling of our sleep
a dream burns;
Somewhere tears glisten
and a moon smoulders.
Beyond the dwelling of our sleep
the sun rises;
Somewhere a dark beautiful night
sleepwalks, and
somewhere a clay lamp
veils a disguise.
Beyond the dwelling of our sleep
dazzling birds flutter, and
the beastly slayers stalk
somewhere in the memory’s jungle
appear a desert and an oasis, and
somewhere a glacial mass burns.
Beyond the dwelling of our sleep
it rains;
Eyes thirst in yearning, and
Somewhere in the deep of the heart
someone dies a dry death.
Beyond the dwelling of our sleep
two flowers blossom;
somewhere we meet every day, and
the wounds are mended.
Outside the dwelling of our sleep
there’s a lit-up parapet;
a door is afire,
somewhere hidden, and
somewhere revealed;
beyond the dwelling of our sleep
A dream burns.
(Translated from the original Urdu into English by Bina Biswas)