Sahir's poetry shows a gradual shift from the pleasing environs of love to more serious socio-political topics, clearly showing his increasing leanings towards socialism. This shift in values is also reflected in his film songs: zi.ndagii sirf muhabbat nahii.n kuchh aur bhii hai zulf-o-ruKhsaar kii jannat nahii.n kuchh aur bhii hai bhuuk aur pyaas kii maarii ju)ii is duniyaa me.n ishq hii ek haqiiqat nahii.n kuchh aur bhii hai (from "tum mujhe bhuul bhii jaao to ye haq hai tum ko...") Of course, this does not mean that Sahir gave up love as a topic for his poetry. But love seems to have assumed a more universal,a more encompassing meaning in his poetry. tum agar aa.Nkh churaao to ye haq hai tum ko mai.n ne tum se hii nahii.n sab se muhabbat kii hai (from the same song quoted above) Today's nazm has Sahir in a pensive mood about love, and why it is not enough reason to live on. I am sure the following lines by a very well-known poet are known to us all: "aur bhii Gam hai.n zamaane me.n muhabbat ke sivaa raahate.n aur bhii hai vasl kii raahat ke sivaa" Today's nazm - "sochataa huu.N" sochataa huu.N ki muhabbat se kinaaraa kar luu.N dil ko begaanaa-e-taraGiib-o-tamannaa kar luu.N [begaanaa-e-taraGiib-o-tamannaa = devoid of inspiration and desire] sochataa huu.N ki muhabbat hai junuun-e-rasavaa cha.nd bekaar-se behuudaa Khayaalo.n kaa hujuum ek aazaad ko paaba.nd banaane kii havas ek begaane ko apanaane kii sa_i-e-mauhuum [rusavaa = bad name/infamy/notoriety (sometimes is aslo used to denote reputation] [sa_i-e-mauhuum = illusionary effort] sochataa huu.N ki muhabbat hai suruur-e-mastii isakii tanviir me.n raushan hai fazaa-e-hastii [tanviir = light; fazaa-e-hastii = environment of life] sochataa huu.N ki muhabbat hai bashar kii fitarat isakaa miT jaanaa, miTaa denaa bahut mushkil hai sochataa huu.N ki muhabbat se hai taabi.ndaa hayaat aap ye shamaa bujhaa denaa bahut mushkil hai [bashar = man; fitarat = nature; taabi.ndaa = lighted; hayaat = life] sochataa huu.N ki muhabbat pe ka.Dii sharte.n hai.n ik tamaddun me.n masarrat pe ba.Dii shart.en hai.n [tamaddun = culture] sochataa huu.N ki muhabbat hai ik afasurdaa sii laash chaadar-e-izzat-o-naamuus me.n kafanaa_ii hu_ii daur-e-sarmaayaa kii rau.ndii hu_ii rusavaa hastii daragah-e-mazahab-o-iKhlaaq se Thukaraa_ii hu_ii [afasurdaa = disappointment; chaadar-e-izzat-o-naamuus = sheet/cover of respect] [daur-e-saramaayaa = age of capitalism (Sahir's socialistic leanings peeking out here)] [daragah-e-mazahab-o-iKhlaaq = temple of religious and moralistic opinions/viewpoints] sochataa huu.N ki bashar aur muhabbat kaa junuu.N aisii bosiidaa tamaddun se hai ik kaar-e-zabuu.N [kaar-e-zabuu.N = bad deed] sochataa huu.N ki muhabbat na bachegii zi.ndaa pesh-az-vaqt kii sa.D jaaye ye galatii hu_ii laash yahii behatar hai ki begaanaa-e-ulfat hokar apane siine me.n karuu.N jazb-e-nafarat kii talaash [pesh-az-vaqt = time preceding now (past); begaanaa-e-ulfat = turned away from love] [jazb-e-nafarat = feeling of hatred] aur saudaa-e-muhabbat se kinaaraa kar luu.N dil ko begaanaa-e-taraGiib-o-tamannaa kar luu.N [saudaa-e-muhabbat = madness of love] Note: for some reason, I am reminded of a Sahir song from the film Bahu Begum: log kahate hai.n ki ham tum se kinaaraa kar le.n tum jo kah do to sitam ye bhii gavaaraakar le.n