Dr. Mohammad Iqbal (Allama Iqbal) is one of Urdu’s tallest poets and this poem, “Aik Shaam“, appears in his collection, “Bang-e-Dara“. The sub-heading of the poem says, “Darya-e-Neckar (Heidelberg) ke kinare par” (by the banks of the River Neckar, Heidelberg, Germany). Blogger Fawad Zakariya who visited Heidelberg (where Iqbal studied for a while), “This is a poem of ambience and conjures a lovely atmosphere in which the poet standing at the edge of the river at night experiences a calm and peaceful communion with nature. It is not until the powerful last verse when an inner turmoil and sadness is suddenly hinted at, revealing the heart of the poet at odds with his serene surroundings.”

You can read more about Iqbal’s life and times in Zafar Anjum’s biography of Dr. Iqbal, Iqbal: The Life of a Poet, Philosopher and Politician (Penguin Random House).

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Aik Shaam (Darya-e-Neckar (Heidelberg) ke kinare par)

Khamosh hai chandni qamar ki

ShaakheiN haiN khmosh har shajar ki

Waadi ke nawa farosh khamosh

Kohsaar ke sabz posh khamosh

Fitrat behosh ho gai hai

Aaghosh maiN shab ke so gayee hai

Kuch aisa sakoot ka fasooN hai

Neckar ka kharam bhi sakooN hai

TaaroN ka khmosh kaarvaaN hai

Yeh kafila be dara rawaN hai

Khamosh haiN koh-o-dasht-o-darya

Qudrat hai muraqbe maiN goya

Aye dil! tu bhi khmosh ho ja

Aaghosh maiN gham ko lay ke so ja

You can find the Urdu/Roman text of the poem along with English translation HERE.