Ghalib’s Verses
“Be kind and call me whenever you wish
Mehrbaan ho ke bula lo mujhe, chaaho jis waqt
I am not the time that has passed and cannot return
Main gaya waqt nahi hoon ke phir aabi na sakoon
I do not receive poison from the oppressor, nor do I
Zahr milta hi nahi mujh ko sitamgar aur na
What kind of vow is it for meeting you that I cannot even consume?
Kya qasam hai tere milne ki jo khaa bhi na sakoon?”
Ghalib’s Reflections on Time, Pain, and the Elusiveness of Meeting
