Poem : Ideals

 Naheed Akhter

Translated by Salma Jilani

To become a great legend

 Grand and lofty ideals

are always required

Let me tell you

About the market

Where ideals are sold for pennies

 Where inscriptions

 of the dead movements which have been launched

for the services of mankind and humanity

Are lying every where

 Some stacked on the shelves

 Some rolling under the feet

Can be seen reciting the lamentation of the hypocrisy and two-facedness’

 You must be having a few coins in your pocket

With which you can buy few ideals, a nearly dead movement

And a fake smile soaked in humility,

Then watch

How the world will place you on a Royal throne But be wary!

Never reveal your real face

 to your followers

Wherever you see any head rising

Or a question appearing on any lip

Behead them and slit up the tongue instantly

 But do all of this behind closed doors

The world will continue to worship you and your ideals

**********