Here the Birds’ Journey Ends

Here the Birds’ Journey Ends
by Mahmoud Darwish

Here the birds’ journey ends, our journey, the journey of words,
and after us there will be a horizon for the new birds.
We are the ones who forge the sky’s copper, the sky that will carve roads
after us and make amends with our names above the distant cloud slopes.
Soon we will descend the widow’s descent in the memory fields
and raise our tent to the final winds: blow, for the poem to live, and blow
on the poem’s road. After us, the plants will grow and grow
over roads only we have walked and our obstinate steps inaugurated.
And we will etch on the final rocks, “Long live life, long live life,”

and fall into ourselves. And after us there’ll be a horizon for the new bird.

[Via: NewYorker]

Post Musharraf Era: Day 1

So almost 24 hours later, much has been said about Musharraf’s legacy, where he’s going to go next [London baby!] and what lies next for Pakistan.

Some commentators on this blog have expressed their unhappiness, saying that Musharraf’s departure will lead to doom and darkness. I personally, don’t believe so, which was reaffirmed by his farewell address. Typical of all leaders, who have tasted power for far too long, he still believes that the country will disintegrate without him, that the leaders are corrupt, etc etc. If Pakistan can survive four military dictators, three wars, countless insurgencies and corrupt politicians, it can survive Musharraf. The Pakistani nation has proved time and again that it has endless reserves of patience.

The question really is now, what happens next – will the government restore the deposed judges, fix the economy and the worsening security situation in the tribal regions? And more importantly, will this coalition survive the next three months together without throwing hissy fits and issuing mind-boggling statements every five minutes? Perhaps we all know that the government won’t be able to achieve any of the goals mentioned above. Perhaps the army will take over in the next few months. But at least we forced one dictator to go, sans bloodshed and army coups.

P.S: Happy Nauroze everyone!

Speech bubbles.

After nine really, really long years, Musharraf has finally decided to resign. Text messages I received during the one hour that musharraf made the snore-inducing [till the last fifteen minutes, those were glorious] speech [hopefully his last] will give the reader an idea of what some of us went through.

Musharraf: ‘Pakistan mera ishq hai’
Friend#1: That’s why he screwed it!

Friend#1: Can someone please tell him to get to the point

Musharraf: Hum ne art gallery kholi…
Friend#2:There’s our breaking news headline!

Friend#3: MAKE HIM STOP. I am getting acidity now.

A more thorough analysis will follow later.

Nuke Nightmares.

This morning I dreamt that Swat had been levelled to the ground by a nuclear bomb.

An apt dream to have on the country’s independence day, no?

A legacy of nothingness

From The News:
A legacy of nothingness
-Masood Hasan

Something I learnt from Aunty Sonnu Rehman – something that hopefully many other people learnt because she is Aunt to so many, was to spend as much time as possible with the young. She has done so for many long years and the result is a sparkling personality, a cheerful outlook on life and a spirit of never say die. Happily into her 80s she has the energy, the verve and the sunny disposition that puts to shame those of us who moan, groan and sulk about everything under the sun. Not that she has had easy sailing – far from it but she has somehow had the inner resolve to see the worst times through and sail on.

Without being condescending in the least bit in all honesty, I feel very bad for the many young men and women that I meet, the thinking type that is – many at the advertising agency and many more at the Studio where my son Mekaal works and which is almost always full of the famous, the not so famous and simply all the young people who gravitate towards the Studio, music being something most youngsters instinctively turn to. Often asked probing questions about what was Lahore like when we were young, what indeed was Pakistan like in those long-fled days and nights, I explain and watch their faces. From all intents I am talking about an alien planet, so bewildered are they. ‘You mean there were bars? And dancing? Ballroom dancing? Sunday morning Jam sessions? Rock’n Roll? Discotheques? Restaurants full of people talking nineteen to the dozen, fiercely arguing about books, poetry, the latest plays, the musicals? Uncle, they say, honestly you are kidding us. You mean there were drama festivals? What did you say it was called? GCDC? Shoaib Hashmi, Basit Haqqani, Tina Thomas, Jojo? These characters were on stage doing plays in English? Arsenic and Old Lace? Naw – you are making it up. Ava Gardner was in Lahore shooting a film? And Marlon Brando holed up in Flashman’s Hotel in Rawalpindi planning a movie? And you guys were dating chicks on bicycles and scooters? Are you sure?’ The more details you share the more the questions, almost all bordering on the incredulous.

Pakistan’s Bad Relationship.

The PPP – PML (N) relationship reminds me, more often than not, of a bad relationship with one’s significant other. There is drama [NS walking out of Zardari House last night!], there is romance [Murree Declaration], there is passion [Yusuf Raza Gilani getting the vote of confidence] and then there is that biatch who wants your relationship to meet a sorry end so that they can swoop in [Farooq Naek and Rehman Malik!].

But all analogies to bad relationships aside, today’s declaration that the ruling parties will impeach the President is welcomed, but perhaps too late. On February 18th, the nation was joyous, and would have accepted perhaps any move against Musharraf that the winning parties would have announced. Things are very different today – inflation, increasing fuel prices, prolongued power cuts and the ongoing conflict in the tribal regions are pressing problems that need to be resolved.

But this is where our analogy stands true again. Y’know how in a relationship its easier to sweep your ongoing problems under the carpet [for example: where is this relationship going, why did we start going out in the first place, are you CHEATING on me] and blow up some insignificant issue [e.g: why didn't you call me last night??!] instead? This is what the coalition has done – there is still no tangible move to restore the deposed judges or solve issues like poverty, education, healthcare or inflation. And if Musharraf really loses his shit tonight, these are the very issues he’s going to use as his justification to dissolve the assemblies under Article 58(2)B.

After all, this is the very President who imposed emergency rule in the country because he got tired of hearing the word ’suo moto’.

And to top it off, the President’s birthday is on the same day that the National Assembly has been summoned for the impeachment motion.

Stay tuned for further drama.