Lafz ~ Stories From Urdu

Lafz
(Urdu; Words)

Two had laces untied and ran recklessly into the traffic on the front road.
Few were fresh-faced and first day of school nervous.
Most though, acting out like acne-attacked, misunderstood 17 year old boys.
Those closest to me were older, weak-backed and never able to shuffle out of the front door. - My words, they never learnt what I needed them to say.

~hyperbolemuch.blogspot.com (Watch the video here.)

Taaruf ~ Stories From Urdu

Taaruf
(Urdu; getting to know someone)

Newspaper rolls slapping faces of houses with messages of air strikes, gold medal wins and 10 reasons why actors are getting divorced.
Slippered shuffling of feet as the early riser in every house washes sleep away from his eyes.
That first boil of cardamom brewed tea.
Soft whirrings of ceiling fans,
Blenders,
Aching knees
and promises of new beginnings.

This is how the morning introduces itself every day. 

~hyperbolemuch.blogspot.com

#StoriesFromUrdu Dedicated to beautiful October Delhi mornings. (Watch the video here.)

Mohtaaj ~ Stories From Urdu

Mohtaaj
(Urdu; Dependent/ a slave to)

My greying memories of you.
That misbehaved, foam-topped tide of the ocean: both left sleepless and then calmed by the many fickle moods of the moon. 

~hyperbolemuch.blogspot.com

#StoriesFromUrdu (Watch the video here.)

Ishtiaq ~ Stories From Urdu

Ishtiaq
(Urdu; longing) 

Longing is a desert wasteland where thousands are lost, wandering and setting their compasses to objects of affection who are now long gone.

Longing is a quilt they stitched out of their own skin, memories and dreams, it's what holds them warm and stirs them to sleep when winter nights come around.

 ~hyperbolemuch.blogspot.com

#StoriesFromUrdu (Pictures from that happy blur of a holiday in New York, the summer of 2014.) Watch the video here.

Ilzaam ~ Stories From Urdu

Ilzaam
(Urdu; Blame)

Sunday nights misbehaved like runaway brides.
Cars in traffic, leisurely catching up with each other over carburetor gossip.
People always alienated people.
The seasons never fell in line.
You courted sleep like a lover who would not relent.
Tomorrow's spine was prematurely bent with your to-do lists.

Thus reads the chargesheet of all the accused who stood between you and your dreams. 

~hyperbolemuch.blogspot.com (Watch the video here.)

Maihroom ~ Stories From Urdu

Maihroom
(Urdu; Without/ Deprived of)

Our fights were illogical, with no one ever saying what they really felt. Arguments like trapeze artists, swinging wildly from point to point, when all they wanted was to rest their feet on the ground.

The afternoons are yawning now.
The nights, humming with silence.

It's been quieter and lonelier since the circus left the town.

Maihroom.

~hyperbolemuch.blogspot

#StoriesFromUrdu (This unbelievable waterfall is  from Plitvice National Park, Croatia where water was king. Watch the video here.)

Zarra-Nawazi ~ Stories From Urdu

Zarra-Nawazi
(Urdu; one of my fav words/phrases this literally means kindness shown to a mere speck. It is used to express gratitude and give thanks.):

The last leaf of autumn is so lonely in her fraying marriage to that weak branch. Thickened veins of effort run deep through her now browned skin.

And yet.
That young, gallant wind of the night slows down on seeing her.
Shushes the howls of his eager friends.
Waits softly in the dark day after day after day through September.
Letting her finally choose when to declare winter.

~hyperbolemuch.blogspot

#StoriesFromUrdu (This was requested by the lovely Prerna Jaiswal​ who was my fav person to clown around every cantata at school with. Video here.)