Agron Shele
An Anti War Poem
I have to go Inquire After the Injured Birds
Dedicated to Agron Shele, A World fame Poet, Novelist and promotor of World literature from
Albania.
In the north of Srinagar
I have given one of my feet
In the ransom of war
I have to go inquire after injured birds
From fruit dispersing trees
At the banks of Wular lake
In the last spell of night
I filled my eyes with
Burnt out trees, dead faces
And went to listen mummified songs
Of injured birds
In the suburbs of Aleppo
The old river Nile
Started to engulf my way
Its depth
Fell short of my ankles!
In my streets
A body full of explosives roams
Whose fear has sallowed the forehead of the city
In the streets
My organs dance along death
They have come this far to enjoy that dance!
They have also brought
apart from their weapons
A battlefield to their liking
I will embattle against them
At every front
Until the inlaid hilt of my sword gets bloodied
My land
Is resistant to be trampled by the winners!
Translated by Sara Ali Khan
Poem by Dr. Jawaz Jaffri