Faiz Ahmed Faiz (1911-1984) was a renowned and progressive Pakistani poet. He was born in Kala Kader village in Punjab in British India to Sultan Mohammad Khan and his wife Fatima. Freedom of thought is an important ingredient in almost all his poems. Through his poem ‘Speak’, he urged the people to speak out and fight for their rights.
Faiz Ahmed Faiz (1911-1984) was a renowned and progressive Pakistani poet. He was born in Kala Kader village in Punjab in British India to Sultan Mohammad Khan and his wife Fatima. Freedom of thought is an important ingredient in almost all his poems. Through his poem ‘Speak’, he urged the people to speak out and fight for their rights.
This poem was originally written in Urdu.
Poem source: www.poemhunter.com/faiz-ahmed-faiz
Speak
Speak, your lips are free.
Speak, it is your own tongue.
Speak, it is your own body.
Speak, your life is still yours.
See how in the blacksmith’s shop
The flame burns wild, the iron glows red;
The locks open their jaws,
And every chain begins to break.
Speak, this brief hour is long enough
Before the death of body and tongue:
Speak, ‘cause the truth is not dead yet,
Speak, speak, whatever
you must speak.
Translated by Azfar Hussain