For a very long time, the only poem of William Savage Landor that I knew was the one on Rose Aylmer's* tomb in Calcutta:
AH, what avails the sceptred race! | |
Ah, what the form divine! | |
What every virtue, every grace! | |
Rose Aylmer, all were thine. | |
Rose Aylmer, whom these wakeful eyes | |
May weep, but never see, | |
A night of memories and sighs | |
I consecrate to thee. |
Rose Aylmer's Tomb, Park Street Cemetery, Calcutta |
Until I came across this:
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You smiled, you spoke, and I believed,
By every word and smile deceived.
Another man would hope no more;
Nor hope I what I hoped before:
But let not this last wish be vain;
Deceive, deceive me once again!
Which reminded me of this poem by Ahmed Faraz:
Pehle se marasim na sahi phir bhi kabhi to - Though the relationship we had is over
Rasm-o-rah-e-duniya hi nibhane ke liye aa - Come to fulfill the rituals of the world
Kis kis ko batayenge judai ka sabab hum - Who all must I explain the reason for our separation
Tu mujhse khafa hai to zamane ke liye aa - Come, despite your displeasure, to continue the ceremony
The most famous version by Mehdi Hassan (though not completely faithful to the original poem*):
Ranjish hi sahi dil hi dukhane ke liye aa - Even if you bear a grudge, come at least to tease my heart
Aa phir se mujhe chhod ke jaane ke liye aa - Visit me once again, come, even if to depart
Aa phir se mujhe chhod ke jaane ke liye aa - Visit me once again, come, even if to depart
Kuchh to mere pindar-e-mohabbat ka bharam rakh - Respect a little the depth of my love for you
Tu bhi to kabhi mujhko manaane ke liye aa - You should also come someday to assuage my heart
Tu bhi to kabhi mujhko manaane ke liye aa - You should also come someday to assuage my heart
Pehle se marasim na sahi phir bhi kabhi to - Though the relationship we had is over
Rasm-o-rah-e-duniya hi nibhane ke liye aa - Come to fulfill the rituals of the world
Kis kis ko batayenge judai ka sabab hum - Who all must I explain the reason for our separation
Tu mujhse khafa hai to zamane ke liye aa - Come, despite your displeasure, to continue the ceremony
Ek umr se hoon lazzat-e-girya se bhi mehroom - For long I have been denied even the luxury of tears
Aye raahat-e-jaan mujhko rulaane ke liye aa - O joy of my heart, come at least to make me weep
Aye raahat-e-jaan mujhko rulaane ke liye aa - O joy of my heart, come at least to make me weep
Ab tak dil-e-khushfeham ko tujh se hain umeedain - Even now this gullible heart has pinned its hopes on you
Ye aakhri shamein bhi bujhane ke liye aa - Come to blow out this last glimmering hope
Ye aakhri shamein bhi bujhane ke liye aa - Come to blow out this last glimmering hope
The most famous version by Mehdi Hassan (though not completely faithful to the original poem*):
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* On Rose Aylmer, the British Social Life in India 1608-1937 states that she contorted "a most severe bowel complaint brought on entirely by indulging too much with that mischievous and dangerous fruit, the pineapple" and "at the end of a few days fell a martyr to the obstinacy of the malady" (and not cholera as is commonly believed). Maybe it's better to be unknown and forgotten than be remembered a hundred years later for having been a glutton.
On another note, Rose Aylmer is also referenced in To Kill A Mockingbird: “Rose Aylmer was Uncle Jack’s cat”
** The last two couplets as sung by Mehdi Hasan are not by Ahmad Faraz. These were added later by Talib Baghbati
** The last two couplets as sung by Mehdi Hasan are not by Ahmad Faraz. These were added later by Talib Baghbati
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