I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz,
or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off.
I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,
in secret, between the shadow and the soul.

I love you as the plant that never blooms
but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers;
thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance,
risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.

I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.
I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;
so I love you because I know no other way

than this: where I does not exist, nor you,
so close that your hand on my chest is my hand,
so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep.

Soonet XVII From: ‘Cien sonetos de amor’ by Pablo Neruda

“Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead,
Put crêpe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last forever: I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood;
For nothing now can ever come to any good.”

–W.H. Auden (1907-1973)

This is one of my favourite Nazms . It is heart stoppingly sad and the lyrics are beautiful beyond words. It was written by the last Mughal Emperor in India, Bahadur Shah Zafar. He was an acclaimed poet.
When the king recited this poem in his royal court, every poet present there tore off their poems to acknowledge this composition as the best of that “Mushaira”  which means a poem recitation gathering by different poets.

Below are the lyrics of the Nazm.

Na Kisi Ki Aankh Ka Noor Hoon
Na Kisi Ke Dil Ka Qarar Hoon
Jo Kisi Ke Kaam Na Aa Sake
Main Woh Ek Mushth-E-Ghubaar Hoon
Na Kisi Ki Aankh Ka Noor Hoon

Na To Main Kisi Ka Habeeb Hoon
Na To Main Kisi Ka Raqeeb Hoon
Jo Bigad Chala Gaya Woh Naseeb Hoon
Jo Ujad Gaya Woh Dayaar Hoon

Mera Rang Roop Bigad Gaya
Mera Yaar Muhjse Bichad Gaya
Jo Chaman Khizaan Mein Ujad Gaya
Main Usi Ki Fasl-e-Bahar Hoon

Na Kisi Ki Aankh Ka Noor Hoon
Na Kisi Ke Dil Ka Qarar Hoon

Pay- Faatiha Koyi Aaye Kyon
Koyi Chaar Phool Chadaye Kyon
Koyi Aake Shama Jalaye Kyon
Koyi Aake Shama Jalaye Kyon
Main Woh Be-Kasi Ka Mazaar Hoon
Na Kisi Ki Aankh Ka Noor Hoon
Na Kisi Ke Dil Ka Karar Hoon
Jo Kisi Ke Kaam Na Aa Sake
Main Woh Ek Musth-E-Gubaar Hoon
Na Kisi Ki Aankh Ka Noor Hoon

Main Kahaan Rahoon Main Kahan Basoon
Na Yeh Mujhse Khush Na Woh Mujhse Khush
Main Zameen Ki Peeth Ka Bojh Hoon
Main Falak Ke Dil Ka Gubaar Hoon
Na Kisi Ki Aankh Ka Noor Hoon

Especially poignant are the lines : Pay- Faatiha Koyi Aaye Kyon / Koyi Chaar Phool Chadaye Kyon / Koyi Aake Shama Jalaye Kyon / Koyi Aake Shama Jalaye Kyon which loosely translated mean “On my grave no body comes to pay tribute and do ritual prayers for my soul and no body puts flowers there and why they should do that … no body is igniting candles on my mazar bcoz  my grave is the symbol of nothingness..”

It really is true that the world’s best poetry comes from sadness..