Qasum Faraz wrote this poem on the incarceration of Mubarak Qazi, a star Balochi poet. Rayhaan Baloch has translated it into English.
Seated on the same bench,
Qazi and I.
Far in the sky,
Like the colourful flag of your Khan,
Ahmed Yar**,
The blue patches of clouds,
Appear in one moment and vanish in the next.
On the sun-scorched grass,
Between the rows of yellow trees,
As we sip down the last drop of the tea,
Qazi lights up a cigarette
And puffs the smoke.
In the pale face of the dismantled fountain,
He curses the benches,
Yells filthy abuses at walls.
Time is passing by.
All colours and seasons changing.
Still seated on the same bench,
Qazi and I.
A cigarette is lit up.
Like the flag of our Khan,
Blue patches of clouds,
Nowhere visible in the sky!
** Ahmed Yar Khan was the last ruler of Balochistan.
