“The spring harvest has not been good this year…
It seems I’ll remain in debt again.”
Akash Ansari (Late) is a renowned poet of Sindh
Akash Ansari, born Allah Bux Ansari on December 25, 1956, in the village of Abal Ji Wasi near Badin, Sindh, Pakistan, pursued his early education in Badin. He later obtained his MBBS degree from Liaquat Medical College, Jamshoro, in 1984. Despite his medical profession, Dr. Ansari was deeply passionate about Sindhi literature and poetry. Dr. Ansari was renowned for his contributions to Sindhi poetry, particularly for his works that combined themes of resistance and romanticism. His poetry collections have been widely acclaimed and have undergone multiple reprints due to their popularity. His poems resonated with the youth, reflecting societal issues and personal introspections. On February 15, 2025, Dr. Ansari tragically passed away at his residence in Hyderabad.
A Farmer’s Harvest
Poet: Akash Ansari
An old farmer,
pausing in the furrow,
halts his yoked bullocks.
From the watercourse he takes a gulp,
then rekindles
a half-spent, cheap cigarette,
murmuring under his breath:
“The spring harvest has not been good this year…
it seems I’ll remain in debt again.”
At home,
the grain-bin stands empty as ever;
it seems I’ll remain in debt again.
And over it all, for nine months of every year,
Bhagul, my sweetheart, remains pregnant;
it seems I’ll remain in debt again.
(Translation: Raphic Burdo)
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