My Friends’ Wives

a poem by Hiren Shah

Anjali, Monica, Sumita, Rajni, Latika,Shyama, Divya, Kusum,
Sonali, Rana, Devyani, Manisha, Neha are all friends’ wives.

Whenever there is thunder and a crackling of Bijli( Lighting)
You immediately stray into my thoughts, dear Anjali

You may be Monica but I am not Bill
How does it matter, to you also I am willing to give my dil (heart)

For some it may be Lara, for some maybe Aishwarya, for some Sushmita,
For me it is Sumita

(Lara and Sushmita have been Miss Universe, Aishwarya Miss World)

Whenever I see you Rajni,
I keep wondering about how to get rid of your husband and make you my Sajni (Companion)

Whenever I set my eyes on you Latika,
I wish you and me were alone and this was a viraan vaatika (spacious garden)

Whenever I bump into you, my dear Shyama
In my heart I can sense a hungama (Storm)

Whenever you wander into thoughts Divya, (Stays in USA)
I feel that I should go to America and tell you in American slang “I love ya”

I can’t be so open with you, my dear Kusum
Your husband is so uptight that with him I may end up doing Dishum Dishum (Fight)

So what if Sandeep has married you, Sonali
It won’t be long before you I have manali (Wooed)

You are so qualified and well educated, Rana
Poetry shall not do for you, for you I will have to compose a gana. (Song)

Whenever I come across you, Manisha,
There arises in me a fervent Akanshaa (desire)

You appeal to me so much Devyani
I am always wondering how to ensure that your husband remembers his Nani(Grandmother)*

(Remembering one’s grandmother in Hindi is an expression for being in deep trouble)

You are so attractive and good natured, Neetu
There is no end to what we can do after your husband I peetu (Thrash)

Once I am through with your husband, Dimple
Everything will fall into place and become simple.

Last but not the least, I am mentioning you, Neha
I don’t know how to convince that it is you I have most chaaha (adored)

So friends, whether it is my friends wives or my son’s maid whose name is Savita
Once I get into a poetic mood, I immediately make a Kavita (Poem)

I am narrating all these poems after so many years, which shows that I am so Shareef (straightforward)
What can I do, I just cannot stay in one piece without doing husna ki tareef (flattering women)