SECTION 2h-1 *back to section 2g*
(we're now on page *:to))e , continued*)  

After that Mazhar ul-Haq Sahib, a well-known poet living somewhere outside [Lucknow], who now by chance had come into the mushairah-- he recited this nazm: 

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==A nazm ('arrangement') is a 'poem' pure and simple; its name claims the freedom to make formal choices at will, and on the fly. But this one is really more like a masnavi in form, and has a very strict meter (#14/15 in the *meter list* ).

us ke ba((d ma:zhar ul-;haq .saa;hib ek naamii shaa((ir kahii;N baahar ke rahne-vaale jo is vaqt ittifaaq se vaarid-e mushaa((irah the _ unho;N ne yih na:zm pa;Rhii _
1) the state of our mushairahs is such
that jesters now make jests about it 
hai hamaare mushaa((iro;N kaa yih ;haal
jis kii ab naql karte hai;N naqqaal
2) they laugh at the ways of the people of skill
they laugh at the style of the poetry-gathering 
ravish-e ahl-e fan pah ha;Nste hai;N
rang-e bazm-e su;xan pah ha;Nste hai;N
3) what a revolution in the time-- alas, for shame!
such a valuation of poetry-- alas, for shame! 
kyaa zamaane me;N ;Gadr hay taubah
shaa((irii kii yih qadr hay taubah
4) although they don't have respect for literature
they express no unfounded satire
go kih paas-e adab nahii;N karte
hajv kuchh be-sabab nahii;N karte
5) the sweetly-speaking poets move around
taking along with them a large crowd 
chalte hai;N shaa((iraan-e ;xvush-taqriir
apne hamraah le ke jamm-e ;Gafiir
6) when do the poets go alone?
they come, bringing connoisseurs along 
kab su;xanvar akele jaate hai;N
qadr-daano;N ko le ke aate hai;N
7) they go into the arenas with an army
countless partisans are with them 
jaate hai;N ma((riko;N me;N fauj samet
saath hote hai;N be-shumaar pha;N;Det
8) those who wouldn't have this crowd with them
their ghazal would never receive acclamation
jin ke hamraah yih hujuum nah ho
kabhii un kii ;Gazal kii dhuum nah ho

9) one over there says vah vah
one over here sighs ah, ah

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==It was sometimes said that Ghalib's poetry inspired 'vah vah', while Mir's poetry inspired sighs of 'ah ah'.

ik udhar vaah vaah kartaa hai
ik idhar aah aah kartaa hai
10) vah! what a pearl-scattering style it is!
vah! what a manner of fine expression it is! 
vaah kyaa :tarz-e dur-fishaanii hai
vaah kyaa va.z((-e ;xvush-bayaanii hai
11) someone says, vah, what can be said!
in truth, this is a new utterance! 
ko))ii kahtaa hai vaah kyaa kahnaa
fii'l-;haqiiqat hai yih nayaa kahnaa
12) how could anyone compose better than this?
when has there been an Ustad like you? 
is se bahtar kahegaa kyaa ko))ii
kab hai ustaad aap saa ko))ii
13) in this age you are unique
truly, you are the pride of Mir and Mirza [Sauda] 
is zamaane me;N aap yaktaa hai;N
vaaqa((ii fa;xr-e miir-o-mirzaa hai;N
14) as if they had any beauty of poetry!
they were nothing-- only big names! 
kab muyassar thaa un ko ;husn-e kalaam
kuchh nah the vuh faqat hai naam hii naam

15) where in their divans are such 'lancets'?
by the Lord, you are better than they! 

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=='Lancets' (named after a blood-letting tool) were particularly sharp, excellent, 'pointed' verses; Mir's divan was said to contain a specific number of them, though not always the same number (or the same verses).

[*chho;Tii ye*] un ke diivaa;N me;N kab yih nashtar hai;N
ba;xudaa aap un se bahtar hai;N
 
 

 
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