In 2011, Akhilesh was encouraged to recite a poem by Faiz Ahmed Faiz that he was very fond of. Hear and read the poem, his translation, and his perspective on Faiz.

Daar kee russiyoan kay guloobund gurdun meiyn pehney huway
Ganeywaaley hureyk roaz gaatey ruhey,
Paayaleiyn beidiyoan kee bujaatey ruhey:
Hum joa iss suff meiyn thhey awr naa uss suff meiyn thhey
Raastey meiyn khudey unkoa tuktey ruhey
Awr chupchaap aansou buhaatey ruhey.

Lawt kur aakey deykhaa toa phooloan kaa rung, joa kubhee surkh thhaa zurd hee zurd hey
Upnaa pehloo tatoalaa toa eiysaa lugaa dil juhaan thhaa wuhaan durd hee durd hey

 Hear Akhilesh recite this

[Akhilesh’s translation]: Sporting nooses as if they were a garlands
and sounding fetters like dancers tinkling ankle bells,
the condemned going to their deaths.
We the onlookers neither oppressors nor resisters
watched silent, shedding helpless tears.

On return we found everything changed, different
The blossoms which had been crimson had turned sere and yellow-
When we felt our breast chest it seemed that where once there was a heart only pain could be felt

Referring to  Faiz and his poetry, Akhilesh says at the end of the audio clip:

Faiz is able to make paintings out of subjects out of which most people could only make posters.

[Akhilesh referred to this poem in an earlier article that explored the circumstances that makes ordinary people activists.]