Ghazal 88, Verse 5x

Asi:

The theme of union did not come to hand, such that I would be able to give for it a simile of something, and would be able to tell what union is. But indeed, it can be called the flown-away bird of the color of henna, for that too has no existence.

== Asi, p. 163

Zamin:

Because the flown-away color of henna too does not come to hand. The cause of similitude is movement.

== Zamin, p. 232

Gyan Chand:

The color of henna fades/'flies away' after some time. Ghalib has given for this the simile of a flown-away bird. Union with the beloved could not be vouchsafed to me. It is like a bird that would have escaped/flown from the hand-- the bird of the color of henna, that in reality flies off from the hand.

== Gyan Chand, p. 260

FWP:

SETS == MAGAR; POETRY
HENNA: {18,4}
‘UNION’: {5,2}

For background see S. R. Faruqi's choices. This verse is NOT one of his choices; I thought it was interesting and have added it myself. For more on Ghalib's unpublished verses, see the discussion in {4,8x}.

Not only was 'union' with the beloved unavailable-- even the ma.zmuun , the 'theme', of union wasn't available. It didn't 'come to hand' in the sense that a suitable way of describing it in a verse had not been thought of-- and also in the way that an escaped bird does not 'come to hand'. But now-- or 'perhaps' now-- the poet has decided how to 'capture' that bird in a verse.

For what bird could be more 'flown away', more irretrievably lost, than the 'bird' of the color of henna? (On henna, see {18,4}.) It's a bird that fades away gradually into complete, irreversible nonexistence-- like even the lover's hopes (not to speak of his chances) for 'union' with the beloved.

Compare {220,4x}, which equips the 'bird of henna' with a nest.

This particular henna-bird looks dark because the henna has just been applied. It won't stay this way for long.