Poem

Tarannum Riyaz

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Original language

The Forbidden

There will be a serpent
          curled around every hair of her head
her beautiful eyes will be pierced
by red hot iron spikes
her soft limbs will be stretched out
          on burning coal.
After such sinfulness,
          what mercy!
Although almighty Allah
          is the ruler of every heart
there is a rightful master of her life and limb.
But she is enamoured of one
          who is among the forbidden ones.

© Translation: 2003, Jaipal Nangia
From: Indian Literature (Vol XLVII No.3)
Publisher: Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, 2003

THE FORBIDDEN

© 2005, Tarannum Riyaz
From: Purani Kitabon ki Khushboo
Publisher: Modern Publishing House, New Delhi

Tarannum Riyaz

Tarannum Riyaz

Tarannum Riyaz is a noted Urdu short fiction writer, translator, critic, poet and novelist. She has worked on television and radio for several years as Urdu news broadcaster, translator and organiser of literary and cultural programmes. She has also edited the women’s sections of leading Urdu newspapers and journals in Kashmir. She lives in Delhi.

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The Forbidden

There will be a serpent
          curled around every hair of her head
her beautiful eyes will be pierced
by red hot iron spikes
her soft limbs will be stretched out
          on burning coal.
After such sinfulness,
          what mercy!
Although almighty Allah
          is the ruler of every heart
there is a rightful master of her life and limb.
But she is enamoured of one
          who is among the forbidden ones.

© 2003, Jaipal Nangia
From: Indian Literature (Vol XLVII No.3)
Publisher: 2003, Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi

The Forbidden

There will be a serpent
          curled around every hair of her head
her beautiful eyes will be pierced
by red hot iron spikes
her soft limbs will be stretched out
          on burning coal.
After such sinfulness,
          what mercy!
Although almighty Allah
          is the ruler of every heart
there is a rightful master of her life and limb.
But she is enamoured of one
          who is among the forbidden ones.

© 2003, Jaipal Nangia
From: Indian Literature (Vol XLVII No.3)
Publisher: 2003, Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi

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