"Nazo Ana"

Nazo Ana, who was born in 1061 H.(1651 A.D.)was a remarkable Pashtun lady famed for her intellect, bravery and kindness. She is best remembered for being the mother of the great Pashtun leader,Mirwais Khan Hotaki, but Nazo Ana was also a gifted poet. Her quatrain below is an example of a Pashtun's deep love of nature and their sharp eye for detail:

"At dawn the narcissus petals were wet,
Like tears, flowed each crystalline droplet.
Why do you cry thus, O pretty flower? I asked:
"My life is just a fleeting smile", replied the floret."

Nazo Ana

The Poet-A Magician

The following is from the Kilid-i-Afghani, beleived to have been composed during the seventeenth century in the mountains south of Peshawar: translated into English by T.C. Plowden.


"The Poet-A Magician"

The arrow needs an archer, and poetry a magician.
He must hold ever in the hand of his mind the weighing scales
of metre, rejecting the verse which is too short and that which is
too long.
His mistress, Truth, shall mount her black steed, the veil of allegory
drawn across her brow.
Let her shoot from beneath her eyelashes a hundred glances,
challenging and victorious.
Let the poet place upon her fingers the jewels of the art of many
hues, adorn her with the sandal-wood and the saffron of metaphor;
The bells of alliteration like bangles upon her feet, and on
her bosom the necklace of a mysterious rhythm.
Add to these the hidden meaning, like eyes half seen through
their lashes, that her whole body may be a perfect mystery.

"A Pashtun Warrior's Farewell" by anonymous

I first read this beautiful poem years ago and was unable to forget it. Recently I found it again in an old out of print book titled The Golden Pomegranate: A selection from the poetry of the Mogul Empire in India 1526-1858 translated into English verse by John Charles Edward Bowen. Though only three of the poems in his book were written by Pashtuns, Mr. Bowen has a special place in his heart for Pashtuns and dedicated his book with these words:

MOST OF THE TRANSLATIONS
WERE MADE WHILE SERVING THE
PEOPLE OF THE NORTH-WEST FRONTIER
IT IS TO THEM I DEDICATE THIS BOOK

This short simple poem by an anonymous author that he found and translated, eloquently embodies the bravery of a Pashtun warrior.

"A Pashtun Warrior's Farewell"

Beloved, on a parchment white
With my heart's blood to thee I write;
My pen a dagger, sharp and clean,
Inlaid with golden damascene,
Which I have used, and not in vain,
To keep my honour free from stain.

Now, when our house it's mourning wears,
Do not thyself give way to tears:
Instruct or eldest son that I
Was ever anxious thus to die,
For when death comes the brave are free-
So in thy dreams remember me.

Anonymous

A beautiful sword inlaid with damascene.
Damascene means: metalwork decorated with wavy patterns of inlay or etching.

"Beside the Kabul River" by Sayed Rasul Rasa

Though somewhat out of place in his book The Golden Pomegranate, Mr. Bowen decided to include a English translation of a Pashto poem and a short biography of his friend Syed Rasul Rasa who was a popular Pashtun poet and the author of several novels. I have copied Sayed Rasul Rasa's biography (Mr. Rasa has since passed away but I was unable to locate the date) as it originally appeared in 1947:

SAYED RASUL RASA

BORN IN A.D. 1910

Sayed Rasul, whose takhhallus is Rasa (the accomplished) was born at Nowshera, in Peshawar District. As a young man he became well known for his contributions to various Pashtun periodicals, particularly the Khyber Magazine, in which the following poem first appeared.
Sayed Rasul became a schoolmaster in 1937, but fortunately his professional duties, first as Junior English Master at the Peshawar High School, and later at Haripur, in Hazara district, did not interfere with his literary activities: verses, articles, and stories continued to flow from his pen until an enlightened Government Department, realizing that in the East poetry and publicity should be induced to step forth hand in hand, in 1942 appointed him Translator-Announcer at the New Delhi Broadcasting Station; he later became Pashto Song Publicity Officer, and is, at the time of this writing, a Commentator in the Middle Eastern section of All-India Radio.
Sayed Rasul is the most distinguished Pashto poet alive today, and his verse, of which "Beside the Kabul River" is a good example, is notable both for its delightfully poetic language, and for the rich imagery with which the poet usually adorns his theme.

LAHORE-July 1947

"Beside The Kabul River"

Where dark the swirling water sweeps,
With woods on either hand,
A young man sits alone and weeps
Upon the river strand.

He sighs "Alas, my Love was kind,
Alas, my Love pretended
To keep me constantly in mind-
And thus the matter ended."

A little wave crept up the sand
and touched the poet's feet::
She said "You do not understand
Where love and friendship meet::

For if, though lovely as the rose,
No love for thee she bears,
Thy heart should once more gain repose,
Thine eyes forget their tears;

But if each hour that passes makes
A tally in Grief's score,
Poor singer, til thy sad heart breaks,
Weep on for evermore."

A view of the Kabul River at sunset near Nowshera.