I absolutely love Truck Poetry.
If someone knows a book that has a collection of that, I'd absolutely buy it.
There is a book by Jamal Elias,
On Wings of Diesel. It is a serious book, written by an academic. It is very insightful on what truck art can tell us about Pakistani society and culture. He includes in an appendix some examples of truck verses he came across during his study (appendix is nine pages). I copy some here for you:
Who ever notices the tears of the morning dew?
Everyone is busy looking at the smiling rosebud.
(
shabnam ke ansu ko kab dekhti he dunya
Karte hen sab hi nazzara hansi hui kali ka)
Lips that cannot smile - what do they know of blooming flowers?
Eyes that cannot cry - what do they know of keeping secrets?
(
Jis lab pe hansi a na sake vo gul khilana kya jane
Jis ankh men ansu reh na sake vo raz chupana kya jane)
The one I had held by the hand to show the way -
On reaching his destination showed me the finger.
(
ungli pakar ke jis ko dikhaya tha rasta
Manzil mili to ham ko angutha dikha gya.)
Leave some light of your memory with me
Who knows in which alley night will fall on my life
(
ujale apni yadon ke hamare pas rehne do
na jane kis gali men zindagi ki sham hogi)
No mortal man is apprised of his death.
With supplies for a hundred years, unaware of the toll bridge.
(
agah apni mot se koi bashar nahin he
Saman so bars ka pul ki khabar nahin he)
Who gives comfort to a broken heart?
Even trees get rid of dried up leaves
(
kon deta he tute hue dil ko asra
darakht bhi sukhe hue patton ko gira dete hen)
The torments of the world and the sadness of fate must be borne in any event;
Even when complaints are on the tip on one’s tongue, one has to remain silent
(
dunya ka sitam taqdir ka gham har hal men sehna parta he
Shikve bhi zuban par ate hen khamosh bhi rehna parta he)
Beg forgiveness for your sins before departing,
Who knows, it might be your last journey
(
jane se pehle apne gunahon ki mafi mang lo
shayad tumhari zindagi ka akhri safar ho)
The nature of life itself is based in parting -
Even water hugs the shore for only so long
(
judai par qa’im he nizam-e zindagani bhi
Bichar jata he sahil se gale mil mil ke pani bhi)
Everyone has the same end,
Even if we all travel alone.
(
manzil da tola yo de
khu safar juda juda)
I would have found peace in utter hopelessness -
By giving me some hope, she tormented me forever.
(
nam umidi men guzar jati to mil jata sukun
Kuch asra de kar kisi ne or tarpaya mujhe)
Eyes are crazy things -
They reveal everything.
(
ankhen bari pagal hen
har bat bata deti hen)
Life has two realms, one this realm, one the other;
The distance between the two is just one breath.
(
zindagi ke hen do jahan ik ye jahan ik vo jahan
In donan ke darmiyan bas fasla ik sans ka)
)
