By sheer accident, a reader sent this translation of Amrita Pritam’s (perhaps the last) poem. I have used bits of it in the obituary that I wrote in 2005.
Yet again, I was mesmerised by the passion and force of Amrita’s poetry. Even though this is a translation, it renders the mood rather well –
Mein tainu pher milan gi (I will meet you yet again)
I will meet you yet again
How and where? I know not.
Perhaps I will become a
figment of your imagination
and maybe, spreading myself
in a mysterious line
on your canvas,
I will keep gazing at you.
Perhaps I will become a ray
of sunshine, to be
embraced by your colours.
I will paint myself on your canvas
I know not how and where –
but I will meet you for sure.
Maybe I will turn into a spring,
and rub the foaming
drops of water on your body,
and rest my coolness on
your burning chest.
I know nothing else
but that this life
will walk along with me.
When the body perishes,
all perishes;
but the threads of memory
are woven with enduring specks.
I will pick these particles,
weave the threads,
and I will meet you yet again.
—-Amrita Pritam.
Translated by Nirupama Dutt and published in The Little Magazine
Dara Shikoh with a saint [Src: A. Mittal]
Jahane Rumi 
Amrita Pritam says,”When the body perishes, all perishes;” But yet the Earth and Sun will perish also…should the soul cling to material things? Into the future I ask:
Dark Sun
Millions of years festering
our Sun did die
a ding in my
youthful illusion
of invulnerability
just when
we were to be married. I’d
been born to a frozen death,
missing you in an abyss:
exploded gases tore us apart
In my death,
without body
I searched for you
alone in darkness
oblivion foreplay.
I thought you were a super nova
an obscene sunrise. It seemed that
only I, a dot, remained
alone looking for the key
to find the opening door
to restless imaginary things
dancing teasing lights that
would swing open to a dream
of glistening dots ordered
in shooting streams of golden water
like bubbles up the nose gently,
dream bump ode to
pretending again
to sleep after playing
that the afterplay was foreplay
but thought dots seemed
like black holes
staying crushed,
for I was a singularity
waiting for grief
to explode, but
why am I looking to
haunt an old house long gone
and every material star
Yes, I of soul, not flesh
will look in the dark
for the true light of heaven
if you will only signal me
If you would gather my love like kindle
and light a campfire in heaven
I know I could come with marshmallows
What a wonderful piece of writing on Lawrence Garden…I just had the chance to read it today.
beautiful…..I will meet you yet again ….where …..how after reading the poem i ve felt really it is so true.post the original one please Mein tainu phir milan gi
lovely poem … but if sumone can pls provide d orignal one…mea tenu pher milanga and the whole poem… thanx
‘MEET YOU AGAIN’is a very deep love thought.I liked
this very much.This poem says that love never leave us that always exist.This dont say forany’specialone’may be our parents,our friends,brothers and etc. that must be lova not a relation only.
Very nice. It is more close when it is read in Hindi.Really good one.
i read it everyday.
Amritaji…..she is great..all d time!
Awesome….i dnt hv words to tell u anything more…
Amrita Pritam is the true combination of ‘amrit’ (honey)and ‘preet'(love)Even the bitter of love seems sweet in her verse