When, for the occasion of travel, the beloved tied the litter,
The fervor of passion tied a heart to every atom.
The wise, in the wonder-house of coquetry's charm,
Tied the essence of the mirror as a slaughtered parrot.
Despair and hope demanded a field for conflict.
The feebleness of courage tied the enchantment of the petitioner's heart.
The themes of the thirst for taste (or longing), Ghalib, could not be tied (constrained),
Even though, with an open heart, a shore was tied to the river.
This ghazal, attributed to Ghalib, delves into the profound intensity and uncontainable nature of human emotion and artistic yearning. It uses complex metaphors to explore the overwhelming power of longing (tashish-e shauq), the struggle between hope and despair (yaas o ummeed), and the ultimate futility of trying to confine boundless desires (tishnagi-e zauq), even when attempting to bind a river to its shore. The poem showcases Ghalib's characteristic intellectual depth and intricate imagery in expressing the ineffable aspects of love and existence.
love & longing (ishq, judāī) · wonder & existence