Palestine of our hearts (DiloN ka Filisteen) Urdu verse in Urdu/English

I told him, I live on the street of Palestine
He said, ‘street is right there but where is Palestine located or seen?’
Strangers seized it and destroyed
Turned desolate, it exists now like a void

I replied, it is in our hearts that Palestine is found
Can they seize it, raze it to ground?
The soul of Palestine is free
Dare anybody capture the spirit, unbound!

He said, keep in your heart this poetic Palestine
It’s no cure to the pain, endless sufferings we have borne and seen
Do inhabit this Palestine in your heart dear!
But can you get our children educated here?
Afandam! ever you thought
Keeping Palestine alive in your heart is not just you and I have sought
Life is not a mere poetry

True, I said, but it is not just a dream, a poetic jotting
To keep the Palestine in me throbbing
Its imporant, it’s essential to keep Palestine alive in the heart
Just think over it when you get time…

I just did a loose and amateurish translation of Ausaf Ahmad’s DiloN ka Filisteen. The attacks by Israel and the recent incidents in Palestine and Lebanon make this Nazm even more relevant. The silence of Arab nations is deafening indeed.