Ghalib

In poetry, the ghazal is a form consisting of couplets which share a rhyme and a refrain. The word means "the mortal cry of a musk deer". It is believed that very rarely a musk deer will develop a Kasturi in her stomach. The Kasturi is supposed to be a very seductive and appealingly fragrant matter. Unfortunately, to access the Kasturi, the deer has to be killed and the Kasturi extracted from its stomach. The plaintive, mournful cry that the deer makes upon being mortally wounded is what the ghazal tries to capture.

A ghazal traditionally follows some rules like:

Matla - A matla is the first couplet or sher of a ghazal.

Maqta - A maqta is the last couplet or sher of a ghazal in which the poet uses his takhallus (pen name) in various different and interesting ways.

Beher - In simple terms, it is the length of a couplet. Ideally, both the lines of a couplet and all the couplets should have the same length.

Radif - When the last word of every second line is the same, it is a radif.

Qaafiyaa - The qaafiyaa is the rhyming pattern of words that must directly precede the ghazal's radif.

Exceptions:

- Ghazal is just a form. It is independent of any language
- Some ghazals do not have any radif
- Although, every sher, should be an independent poem in itself, it is possible, that all the shers are on the same theme
- In modern Urdu poetry, there are lots of ghazals which do not follow the restriction of same beher on both the lines of sher
- The restriction of maqta is really very loose. Many many ghazals do not have any maqta

Also, the ghazal not only has a specific form, but traditionally deals with just one subject: Love. And not any kind of love, but specifically, an illicit, and unattainable love. The ghazal is always written from the point of view of the lover who is unable to attain his beloved, because either the beloved is just playing with the poet's feelings, or because the societal circumstances do not allow it. Most ghazals can be viewed in a spiritual context, with the beloved being a metaphor for God, or the poet's spiritual master.

In this context, you'll probably appreciate the following even more! Long live Mirza Ghalib...and I would also recommend the soundtrack of the Mirza Ghalib tele-series comprising the deadly combination of Naseeruddin Shah, Jagjit Singh and yes, Gulzar. :)

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har ek baat pe kehte ho tum ke 'tu kya hai' ?
tumheen kaho ke yeh andaaz-e-guftgoo(conversation,speech) kya hai ?

na shole (blaze) mein yeh karishma na barq (lightening) mein yeh ada
koi batao ki woh shokh (coquettish)-e-tundkhoo (acrimony) kya hai ?

yeh rashk(jealousy) hai ki wo hota hai ham-sukhan(to agree) tumse
wagarna khauf-e-bad-aamozi(education)-e-adoo(enemy) kya hai ?

ragoan mein daudte firne ke ham naheen qaayal(fan,fond of)
jab aankh hi se na tapka to phir lahoo kya hai ?

chipak raha hai badan par lahoo se pairaahan (clothes, robe)
hamaaree jeb ko ab haajat(necessity)-e-rafoo(stitches) kya hai ?

jalaa hai jism jahaan dil bhi jal gaya hoga
kuredate ho jo ab raakh, justjoo (desire,inquiry) kya hai ?

woh cheez jiske liye hamko ho bahisht(heaven) azeez
siwaay baada(wine)-e-gul_faam(delicate like flowers)-e-mushkaboo(like the smell of musk) kya hai ?

piyoon sharaab agar khum(wine barrel) bhee dekh loon do chaar
yeh sheesha-o-qadah(goblet)-o-kooza(wine pitcher)-o-suboo(wine pitcher) kya hai ?

rahi na taaqat-e-guftaar (conversation, speech), aur agar ho bhi
to kis ummeed pe kahiye ke aarzoo kya hai ?

huaa hai shaah ka musaahib(associate), fire hai itaraata
wagarna shehar mein ‘Ghalib’ kee aabroo kya hai ?

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aah ko chaahiye ik umr asar hone tak
kaun jiitaa hai terii zulf ke sar hone tak

daam(net/trap) har mauj mein hai halqaa(ring)-e-sad_kaam-e-nahang (crocodile with a hundred jaws)
dekhein kyaa guzare hai qatare(drop) pe gauhar(pearl) hone tak

aashiqii sabr-talab(patient) aur tamannaa betaab
dil kaa kyaa rang karuun khuun-e-jigar hone tak

ham ne maanaa ke tagaaful(ignore) na karoge lekin
khaak ho jaayenge ham tum ko khabar hone tak

partav-e-khuur(sun’s rays) se hai shabanam(dew) ko fanaa(perish) kii taaliim
main bhii huun ek inaayat(favour) kii nazar hone tak

yak(one)_nazar besh(excess) nahiin fursat-e-hastii(duration of life) gaafil(ignorant)
garmii-e-bazm(gathering) hai ik raqs(dance)-e-sharar(fire) hone tak

gam-e-hastii(sorrows of life) kaa ‘asad’(Lion,Ghalib's original pen name) kis se ho juz(other than) marg(death) ilaaj
shammaa har rang mein jalatii hai sahar hone tak

With a little help from Wikipedia.