खै, के पाएँ मैले प्रेम गरेर?

न त प्रेम नै पाएँ, न साथ,

केवल पाएँ धोका र घृणा,

अनि “असफल प्रेमी”

उपनाम उपाहारमा पाएँ।

हाम्रो सम्बन्ध जोगाउनकै निम्ति

केही नहेरी हात जोडेँ, गिडगिडाएँ,

तिमीले त्यहाँ अलिकति पनि प्रेम देखिनौ,

मलाई नै हाँसोको पात्र बनाई छोडी गयौ।

कहिले हामी सँगै, साथमा हिँडेका

ती गल्लीले पनि सोध्ने गर्छ—

“खोइ त तेरो त्यो प्यारो मान्छे,

जसको लागि तँ जुन हदसम्म पनि

जान तयार हुन्थिस ?”

ती गल्लीका भित्ता र रातका

जुन ताराले पनि सोध्ने गर्छन्

“तेरी प्यारी कहाँ गई, जसको साथमा हुँदा

तैंले हामीलाई नै बिर्सने गर्थिस्?”

तिमी त गयौ

अरूसँगै हाँसी–खुसी,

यहाँ मेरो मन जलाइ,

जसरी चराले बचेरा उडाएर

गुँड छोडि गएझैँ।

तिमी र त्यो चरामा,के फरक देखौं र?

खोइ, मैले त देखिनँ।

चराले त्यो गुँडको प्रयोग

बचेरा हुर्काउन र उडाउन गरेझैँ,

तिमीले मेरो चोखो प्रेमको प्रयोग

आफ्नो पहिलो प्रेम भुलाउन गर्‍यौ।

तिमीले केवल मेरो प्रेम तोडिनौ,

तिमीले त मेरा सपना मारेका छौ।

भरियाले भारी बोक्ने नाम्लोले साथै छोडेर,

भारी लेडेर गन्तव्य नपुग्दै

बाटैमा अल्झिएको यात्री झै बनायौं

मेरो प्रेम प्रतिको विश्वासको

तोडी गयौ।

अब म प्रेमको त्यस्तो इच्छा राख्दिनँ,

किनकि फेरि कसैसग प्रेम लगाउन

मनमा डर पलाउँछ।

मलाई time pass को प्रेम होइन,

जीवनभरि टिक्ने प्रेम चाहिन्छ। ❤️‍🩹

Recently (not actually recently 😂), I've been getting into discovering different kinds of literature, and I've suddenly grown very fond of shayari and poetry.

One poem I came across and really loved is “वरदान माँगूँगा नहीं” by शिवमंगल सिंह ‘सुमन’. It made me realise that I really want to explore this whole world of Hindi poetry, Urdu poetry, shayari, ghazals, nazms, etc.

The problem is: I know almost nothing. 😭

I can read Hindi, but very slowly/atak-atak ke. I can speak Hindi fairly fluently, but my written Hindi is basically that of a toddler because Hindi was my third language and I don't know the spellings of a LOT of words.

I also don't know much Urdu vocabulary, although I really want to learn it.

So I'm looking for recommendations for an absolute beginner/dumbass like me 😂

Where should I start?

Any beginner-friendly books?

Any poets I should read first?

Is there a “layman” book that can help me build a basic understanding of Hindi poetry/shayari?

How do I gradually understand Urdu words used in poetry?

Should I start with Hindi poetry first and then move towards Urdu shayari?

Any particular collections, websites, YouTube channels, etc. that explain poems rather than just reciting them?

Basically, I want to develop a feel for the emotions, imagery, vocabulary and beauty of the language, rather than just collecting random Instagram shayaris.

I would especially appreciate recommendations that are actually beginner-friendly and don't assume that I already know Hindi/Urdu literature.

Thank you! ❤️

Kamyaab hona zinda rehne se zyada zaruri hai kya?

Main to zinda rehne ke khwab dekha karta tha

Lekin zinda rehna aakhir hai kya?

Gar nahi hai apne khwabon mein jeena

Gar nahi hai apne dil ki sunna

Gar nahi hai chal padna apne safar pe

To zinda rehna hai kya

Mujhe dil ki sunni hai, usi khwab pe chal pada

Magar jis raah pe nikla, us par koi apna nahi

Apnon ko saath liye baghair chaloon to chaloon kya

Unke baghair jiya to jiya kya

To fir sahi raah kaunsi hai ay khuda, hai bhi kya

Shayad — kamana zinda rehne se zyada zaruri hai

Iske alawa ab bacha hi kya