na jaane kahan hogi woh

खेलती थी वोह सुबह की बाँहों से
चलती थी मस्ती में
रहती थी एक सड़क किनारे
एक छोटी सी बस्ती में


न सर पर माँ-बाप का था  साया
न ओढ़ने को था कफ़न ही
फिर  भी अदा थी उस में
सितारों की सड़क पर मटकती  थी सस्ते में

लोग फैंका करते थे थोड़ी सी चिल्लर
कभी देखते कभी घूरते
कुछ खीचते बिन धागे के
उसे  पैसों से भरे बस्ते में

ऐसे ही एक दिन लुट गयी अस्मत उसकी
चलते हुए भीड़ में अकेले
न जाने कहाँ होगी अब
न घर में है न रस्ते में

YOU

The unquenchable thirst:is you.
The insatiable desire:is you.
The unbeatable feeling:is you.
The unmatched lover:is you.
The illogical logic:is you.
The repressed emotions:is you.
The untrained mindfulness:is you.
The beautiful carelessness:isyou.
The varied sameness:is you.
The partial completeness:is you.
The busy laziness:is you.
The loving anger:is you.
The tired freshness:is you.
The carefree bonding:is you.
The last beginning,
the first ending:is you and only you.

hum tum

कभी जो हम मिले न होते
तो क्या हम जिंदा भी होते ?
न जानते  हम किसी मंजिल को
तो बीच मैं यह रास्ते  भी होते?
खो जाते कहीं हम चलते चलते
और पता भी न चलता
तुम कहीं और ,
 हम कहीं और होते |
यह तो है खुदा की इनायत
की हम तुम मिले इस तरह
वर्ना हम किसी और के होकर
भी तुम्हारे ही होते |

A love song

 The grey sky overcast with
ethereal clouds ,
sending the showers down
upon the earth's bosom :
heavily.


My heart,my body and my soul
longing for your warm touch ,
like a caterpillar wriggling for new life,
the cozy feeling of a body in a cocoon:
readily.


What's this bizzare emotion
that knocks on the doors of my heart?
Whats's this new-old feeling
that rested there for eons?


Is it love?
yes:
strangely.


I'm surprised
clearly,
happily.


My soul answers ,
quite
 conspicuously!!

Pain

He twisted.
He turned.
He cursed.
He was in pain.

He sweared.
He feared.
He endured.
He was in pain.

He writhed.
He whimpered.
He wavered .
He was in pain.


She stood by his side,nursing away
the pain that moved his facial muscles.
Why is it that he can never see
the pain hidden in her eyes??

Let's move on..

Let's move on
and look for  newer horizons
over the dark, gloomy clouds.

Let's move on
and prance like a baby impala
just learning to walk for the first time.

Let's move on
and brush the firmament with rosy hues
killing the dark grey in our lives.

Let's move on
and create a niche' of our own
forcing the sturdy walls of egos to crumble down.

Let's move on
and plant a seed of happy hope
in place of the junkyard of tense emotions.

Let's move on
and write a new,unread parable
denouncing the cliche'd tales of love.

Let's move on
for a free life where both of us
chase our individual dreams; still clinging to each other in love.

Sleep-walk

It was a dark ,cold night
I was fighting my loneliness with all my might.
Carefully handling the steps ,
my soul searched for some light.

I gazed at the stars ,
noticed ,they too had some scars
Turning away in dreamy hope ,
I burnt away darkness to chars

Reaching the darkest crevices of my soul ,
I garbed on a look bold .
Finding no reason of  despair,
I got back some hold.

 I got slowly back to my bed ,
saw the faces that I fed.
Admiring them in semi-darkness ,
this strange sleep- walk ended.

Don't bother,remember me.

When you are feeling low ,
when the world is upside down for you ,
when the need to stay alone surmounts ;
don't bother,remember me.

When the words you speak don't reach anyone ,
when the shrieking noises inside bubble ,
when the ghastly, dismal sense traps you ;
don't bother,rememeber me.

When the ifs and buts make you nuts ,
when the stress increases the cigarette butts ,
when the tensions intake is far too much ;
don't bother,rememeber me.

You'll strangely find yourself smiling
by just remembering me .
You'll awaken a cheerful life again
and defeat the Melancholy.

They lost each other!!

They met as  schoolmates,
with their lil'faces lighting up
to see the cheerful jocundity
of their class jokers.

They walked different roads
but  met once more at the crossroad of life.
Once friends,competitors
they were now labelled as lovers.

They stayed stuck in the bliss
of love like a still ,paused movie.
Time passed,and the altercations began;
sometimes it was his whimsical moves
and yet again it was her expectations.

She rejoiced in his love,
rebelled against his authority.
He loved her grace
and despised her insecurities.

Both were free
both wilful.
They started losing out
on something beautiful.

They finally decided the finality of their love
The decison to be just what they were.
He moved on to a lonely path of life.
And she decided to be else's wife.

Sad it was:their
painful  love story.
that the lovers tormented
like some warheroes gory
who die in the field
with no  love of their life.
Alas! the lovers just faced strife.

While you were away..

While you were away
I shed tears  like a palaash tree in autumn
longing for spring to return.

While you were away
I rose each day like a  desert farmer
 wishing for a good monsoon.

While you were away
I wavered with no compass to guide me
in the turbulent tempests.

While you were away
I lost my smile like
a mother who loses a son in a battle.

While you were away
I broke the dams of my eyes
and drenched in the agony of uncontrollable rains.

While you were away
I had no symphony
as I ruined the musical piece I had created.

While you were away
I turned into a  melancholy
and merged silently into the  pathos of tragedy.

While you were away
I  missed you like
someone skips a heartbeat.

I wish the palaash tree red fiery flowers.
I hope the desert farmer lives his hope.
I crave for the internal battle to end.
I need the dams to be restored.
I desire the strings of my heart to create music again.
I want to change the course of my tragedy.
Yes,I do see
I see the light at the end of the tunnel.

His story so far

He loved many.

First, it was Glory
He loved her smooth hair,
the texure of her skin,
her frail petite frame.
But Glory wanted glory
as he had none,
She asked one day
"Do I even know you?"
and married a rich man.
He was hurt but moved on.

Then he saw her Golden One,
full of vibrance and colour,
her face shining like the
majestic,golden sun.
She drew him near
(she was fearless)
and hugged in public.
She demanded him
to leave smiling,
so he left .

Thereafter came the Saint
She was a wife material.
Her simplicity and poise
impressed all , they roamed
together,giving each other
whatever they could.
They planned
but failed as being a saint
she had to give in to
family objections.
He was left again
only to be consoled as always
by  Ever Smiling.

This girl was more like
him so they gelled together.
She made him understand the
meaning of true love:
that doesn't ask,doesn't demand .
He was free for the first time of
any burdens ,any expectations
from people ,from life.

But there came Fragrance
who never undrestood
the deeper meaning of love.
She wanted to own him
like a possession.
She demanded that he makes a choice.
She was selfish and brutal.
She tore off his wings of life,
his innocence melted in
her arms .He had no choice
but to choose her for he knew
that Ever Smiling would keep on
loving him no matter what he does.


He vanished and since then
Ever Smiling has become
Never Smiling.
People look at her through the
eyes of Fragrance
who knows the charm to
manipulate them.
At times when they do see each other,
he looks strangely in her eyes
but can't see her smile
as now she can't
live a lie.
She has realized finally
he  faked to love many but he really
loved noone but himself.

baatcheet

आज देखा चाँद को
अपनी ओर देखते हुए
कुछ वोह भी हैरान था
और कुछ मैं भी पशेमान

मैंने कहा की देखता  क्यों
है इस हैरानी से
क्या तू भी मेरे जैसा
अकेला है आज रात


वोह हंसके बोला मुझसे
क्या बात करती हो
क्या मेरी तरह भी
कोई तन्हा हो सकता है


मैं लटका हूँ सदियों से
अन्तरिक्ष में ,
कभी घटता हूँ ,कभी बढ़ता हूँ
कभी तो किसी को नज़र भी नहीं आता


मुझसे क्या तुलना करती हो अपनी
मैं हूँ एक बेजान बूढा चेहरा
और तुम रोज़ ही जाती हो
बुढापे की ओर

मेरे दर्द को तुम क्या समझोगी
तुम नादान हो आखिर
अनजान हो मेरे कुरूप रूप से
कभी सोचो तो मेरी झुर्रियां कबसे हैं


 कभी तो ख़ूबसूरत थी तुम
कभी तो थे तुमपर बहुत से फ़िदा
मैं तो हूँ इक त्रिशंकुं की तरह
जिसका ना ओर है न छोर

मेरा कहा मानो
हंसा करो रोज़
क्योंकि तुम तो चली जाओगी जल्द ही
रह जाऊँगा मैं फिर से अकेला

The Guilt

He blocked her out to loneliness .
He shunned her to abyssal nothingness .
He loved her ,he wanted her.
Why then the acknowledgement
of his love
seemed a sin to him??
Had he not noticed the
same feelings in her 
eyes??




Was it the apple:
the fruit of knowledge..
the lost innocence
of Eve burdened 
with the original sin
Or it was the hope 
of transcendental love 
going to  the dungeons?


Now that Adam saw her
as a woman,
Now that he waited 
to love her the way
he had always wanted:
why then the guilt
of losing out on 
The Garden Of Eden?


He did'nt know  ,
He didn't realize ,
what he wanted 
was natural,
what he desired 
was destined.
Their names were to create
history ,the story
of first love
that gave rise 
to humanity.
Why then the guilt??
They were to create
what they had to create
in God's decree
as He sees everything but waits.

udaas

आज फिर बात चली मेरी तुम्हारी

फिर से कुछ खलिश सी दिल में हुई

याद आये वोह दिन  सुहाने

और न जाने क्यों  इक हूक सी उठी

आज फिर बात चली मेरी तुम्हारी

 पुरानी दास्तान जो अभी भी है याद

दास्ताने ग़म भी है कुछ शामिल

वही तन्हाई का था आलम मिलन के बाद

आज फिर  बात चली मेरी तुम्हारी

पलट कर जब फिर से जो तुमने देखा

क्यों फिर से खिच गयी आखिर

दूरियों की यह रेखा

फिर से वोह शाम क्यों न आई

फिर से वह प्यार भरी बातें न दोहराई

क्यों न खीचा तुमने फिर से अपने पास

शायद इसिलिए हूँ मैं आज उदास

tum ho nanhe se bete

तुम हो इक नन्हे से बेटे

मेरी आँखों के तारे

बस यही चाहती हूँ

मैं कि

तेरे अरमान हों पूरे सारे

जब तू चले ज़मीन पर

नभ भी तेरे आगे झुके.

तुझे देख कर मेरी जान कभी

कोई आफत न रुके

चली जाये वोह कहीं और

कर ले कहीं और बसेरा

तेरे लिए रात न हो काली

बस हो चमकता सवेरा

तू है भी नादान

तू है अभी अनजान

जाने न तू अभी दुनिया

क्यों रहती है परेशान

मेरी दुआ तो बस यही है
कि खुशियाँ तमाम तुझे मिले

कभी तेरे दिल मैं दर्द का अँधेरा न जले

तेरी यह शैतानी तेरी यह मुस्कराहट

रहे यूँ बरकरार

और मैं जी भर के

करती रहूँ

तुझे प्यार

She and I

We would sing the same songs .
We would dance to the same music .
We would listen to the same stories.
We would laugh at the same jokes.
yet she was different..
..she was she
and I was I.
She was  quiet and sensitive.
I was  bold and  fun.
She was an obedient daughter ,
I always had questions.
She worked hard to make her parents proud.
I always did what I thought was right.
I faced many toubles in  my life
I had to undergo struggle and strife.
She was married off to the right man
then why could he never understand
the way she was and what she liked
she also went through a real tough life
she got no love
she got no peace
she just tried
to join a piece to piece.
She tried to give me a fake smile.
But I can see her soul inside
that weeps and cries all this while
when she meets me now
once in awhile .
I wish her joy,
I wish her strength .
I hope she gets
a real compliment
from the man whom
she admires and loves ;
who gives her silence
and a shoulder cold.
If she were a little bold
She could fight her way
and get a hold.

She was the right one
in everyone's lays..
I wish she lives
like the good, old days.

lonesome

I saw him looking in my eyes
with questions innumerable
He wanted the answers
but I had none.
..yes,there was love
..there was warmth
..there was peace
I had never seen him
so content
so quiet yet
so lonesome..
I asked only one question
but to myself-
Is he now tied up with
his  perception of himself ?
...a fighter
...a crusader
...a real man
who tried best to protect ,
to nourish
the bond he created out
of a need to fulfil his own
narcissistic image:
but destroyed another he had
nurtured for long.

Did he truly love her
or is he  just fighting his
loneliness?

No one can tell ..
But I can always see
his soul bare
his loneliness to me.
Walking with clasped hands
with she drooling over him;
he looks around to
find me.
Alas!! He can't get me back..
never..never again..
as now it's me 
who loves to be
lonesome.