Strangers

We walk into, beside each other, breathing
the space around us, but not each other, you
and I, forgetting daily the remembrance of
what could once again be you and I.

Interpretation of Jon Elia’s “Maa’mool” from Shayad (pg 88). Transliteration and translation below:

Maa’mool	Routine
jaanay kub se	For how long
mujhe yaad bhi naheeN jaanay kub se	can’t even recall how long it has been
hum ik saath ghar se nikaltay haiN	since we have been leaving our home together
aur shaam ko	and in the evening
aik hee saath ghar lauTte haiN	coming back home together
magar hum ne ik doosray se	But neither of us
kabhi haal pursi naheeN ki	ever asked how the other was
na ik doosray ko	and neither of us
kabhi naam lay kar mukhaatib kiya	ever called out the other by name
jaanay hum kaun haiN!	Who knows who we are!