Chupke chupke gham ka khana koi hum se seekh jaaye

To feast on sorrow, hide the strain—an art I know, To burn within your heart in pain—an art I know.

What is a cloud? To weep like rain—an art I know; What’s lightning’s flash? To writhe again—an art I know.

To praise the candle of her grace, and feign—an art I know, To make her burn with veiled disdain—an art I know.

To fake the poppy-eater’s daze in vain—an art I know, To frighten her with frothing, insane—an art I know.

On hearing she arrives, my senses drain—an art I know; To go receive my own life’s bane—an art I know.

I said it from the start you’d be my bane—an art I know; To read the coming storm, the pain—an art I know.

If you would taste her sweet and playful reign—an art I know, Then you must first endure its strain—an art I know.

My fate has taught me this, its harsh refrain—an art I know; What could a rival teach? How to explain?—an art I know.

Seeing my killer, my heart’s wounds again—an art I know, Fill up with blood and smile through pain—an art I know.

Each arrow from my heart I’ve pulled, each stain—an art I know; To wreck my home with my own hand, in vain—an art I know.

Go tell the messenger to find some sane—an art I know, Excuse to go, or learn from my campaign—an art I know.

I sent a letter, just the start of pain—an art I know, A way to make my deep heart’s ache plain—an art I know.

I said “I die,” she said, “Then prove your claim”—an art I know, “And make your falsehood truth’s own flame”—an art I know.

She arched a brow; I drew the blade to maim—an art I know; To understand a sign, and win the game—an art I know.

The blade fell short, but I fell all the same—an art I know; To build my killer’s courage is my aim—an art I know.

While others stitch their wounds to hide the shame—an art I know, With diamond needles, I sew shut my frame—an art I know.

Let clerics teach the rites that pardon blame—an art I know, But how to lose the self is my own fame—an art I know.

Though like the pupil, Zauq, my face is black with shame, To find my home within her eye’s own frame—an art I know.