Heemal Finds Her Love Poem by Mohammad Younus

Heemal Finds Her Love

Heemal dwelt in the downtown,
on the bank of Nallahmar,
that flowed through the ancient
city of srinagar...
as if a snake walked fabulously,
The women would come there
on the Yarabal, to take water
in earthen pots,
Young and old would also come there,
to catch fish and to take the morning bath;

She talked to her friends about her love,
She dreamt daily about that...
beautiful snake prince, Nagroy;

One morning, she was alone in her home,
looking through the window opening on...
the Nallahmar...
flowing elegantly in her serpentine gait,
She suddenly spotted a snake coming out...
of the Nallahmar, taking the shape of a prince,
At the very first sight, she fell in love...
with the beautiful snake prince,
She unfurled her locks that danced...
like drowsy snakes with the push of morning breez;

She came down and asked the prince in wonder,
'Who are you? ', 'Where do you come from?
He answered not but sat by the musical stream
and silently gazed at the hut where Heemal dwelt,
Their hearts shivered in fear...
lest somebody should catch them glancing at each other,
When it was night, Hemal went away with the prince;

Next morning, when the women came to the Yarabal...
to fetch water at the Nallahmar in their earthen pots,
But ah, they found not Hemal there,
Her home was empty of Hemal, her sweet voice had gone
No one knew where she had fled to and with whom
Her friends sat by the stream and wept for missing Heemal

Suddenly, as if the morning breez drew the curtains aside,
They noticed Heemal coming, they wondered,
Ah, it is she who is coming! How are you, friend?
But where shall you go now? Who will give you shelter?
' This vast earth under the blue canopy will give me shelter'
' I am now free from the four walls of my earthly home',
'And, alas! You do not know that finding my love,
I have got myself free from the limits of space and time', ⁸
' Now I shall collect water from the stream of life...
flowing underneath the garden of love',
'Everything is here on the earth, but not love', she said.

MyKoul