Azra Nafees

I grew up on the bank of River Swat
and grew up at the foot of Karakar.
Many stories I can tell,
many songs I can sing.
Mountains taught me to stand erect
with my chin up, to be exact.
I vow to be staunch and unbending,
to face the storms and harsh weathering.
Violent rivers taught me to be
magnanimous, vigorous and yet so free.
Sun rays and the dew drops
have given me a beautiful heart.
The blazing Sun and fierce snowstorms
have exquisitely forged my gallant morals.
I embraced the free air and the wild breeze,
which has ,with its due course
merged my will,strength and thoughts
into an organic whole.
I am part of my land,part of Nature.
Nature and Pukhtuns are a single entity,
inseperable.
I belong to the people,belong to the history.
I hope that the whole world
registers my existence.
Rough hands are tampering with me now,
and damaging my true being.
The war drums are shaking the Earth,
the alarms sounding from far and wide.
My colourful dreams and songs of peace
are mingled with the sounds of war.
But thats not the dream I dreamt,
neither my fate, I won't comment.
Our luck shall blossom,I'm sure,again
our fortune shall definitely change.
The spring shall return
and the birds shall sing.
Heaven and Earth may not live forever,
but the tales of gallant Pukhtuns shall always remain.

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We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection.....