Fursat ~ Stories From Urdu

Fursat
(Urdu; leisure/ at rest)

All of June spent at my grandmother's house where the sun stretched its legs straight across her veranda and I lay on my stomach eating too-ripe mangoes, reading Russian folktales of 14 year old Tzars who forgot to go to war because they were playing chess with their friends.


~hyperbolemuch.blogspot.com (Thinking of my Nani 🏡 and days of rich nothingness. Watch the video here).

Rutba ~ Stories From Urdu

Rutba
(Urdu; Distinction/ Rank)

He's awake before the milkman arrives.
Squatting low, with shoes between his knees and an old,tired cloth now squeaking in protest.
His mother's affectionate pat disturbs the hair part he's carefully aligned using a comb and the straight edge of a protractor. "Smile baby", she says as she waves at his bus with her floral nightie flapping in the wind and her hair sticking up and out.
He sighs softly.

She would never have become Class Monitor of 5-B with that casual attitude. ~hyperbolemuch.blogspot.com (Watch the video here).

Vaabasta ~ Stories From Urdu

Vaabasta
(Urdu; bound together, connected)

There's a sharp turn around the corner across the road from here, which will be the last place I will see you, four months from now.

I'll move to a new city soon after that.
You'll change your hair (many times). That corner will stand still, exactly where it is.
Holding its breath, watching people and cars come and go.

And always wondering what went wrong with us.

~hyperbolemuch.blogspot (Thinking of interconnectedness today, and how we scatter pieces of ourselves on favourite roads, cafes, homes and people). watch this video here.

Rukhsat ~ Stories From Urdu

Rukhsat
(Urdu; Leave) 

Some days the wind rushes in howling through the front door, manhandling our newspaper stack while checking the date for how long it's been.

Most nights, the dog you used to feed comes around sniffing. For you or for milk, a difference he's now too bony to tell.

Every few weeks the tabloid run by the moon sends in a torchlight expedition through our tiny bedroom window.
They're gathering clues to reopen investigation.

Only you could've rearranged the universe by leaving. 

~hyperbolemuch.blogspot
(Trying out a new written word video series but couldn't bear to write it all down, so the last slide needs you to pay attention. Watch the video here.).