Thodi si raat

ik raat likhi thi tumne kabhi
thodi to maine padh li hai
thodi padi hain dil me mere
thodi palkon ne pakad li hai

thodi si raat bitayi hai
thodi si raat bachayi hai
tumhe bulane,lubhane ko
aasmaan pe thodi bichayi hai
baaki ki raat?
tum aao to sahin!

thodi si tumne ugayi thi
thodi si maine jagayi hai
seene me saanjh bujhane ko
thodi si raat lagayi hai
baaki ki raat?
tum aao to sahin!

thodi khaabon se uthai thi
thodi galiyon me bithai hai
tanha sone ki aadat to gayi
bistar pe thodi litai hai
baaki ki raat?
tum aao to sahin!

tukdon me raat sajaate hi
thodi si garaj-ke guzar gayi
kishton me raat bujhaate hi
thodi si palat-ke lipat gayi
baaki ki raat?
arey... tum aao to sahin

thodi udhaar me baati thi
sood me thodi aur mili
girte dhuaan me udti boondein
thodi si aur deke chali

kya karoon
pehlu me itni hai

tum...
aao to sahin

Memories

Dead dreams do not always leave faces
Drying tears do not always weave traces
Do not scout for them
Dead fish will find their way
to the shore

Spent springs do not always bear laughter
Some stories do not survive thereafter
Do not cry for them
Dead fish will find their way
to the shore

Wild winds do not have an itinerary
Worn wings cannot have an itinerary
Do not wait for them
Dead fish will find their way
to the shore

A Cliche

Meet me & I will tell you
stories - familiar yet new
each time I see
each time you hear

Moods riding on roller coasters
lows & highs, highs & lows
strangers & friends, adversaries & foes
vices & advices, contempt & woes

Faces & veils, Facts & lies
Playing host to Conscience once a fortnight
Ethical conundrums, Mythical problems,
Heartless hearts, Hopeless hopes
Romancing ideas to change the world
Spilling & refilling fluid perspectives

Aspirations, Inspirations & Desperations
Unceasing thoughts, Amusing plots
Useless fears, senseless sneers
Desires spawned every minute
losing life the very next moment
Sense of direction altered everyday-
end up running in circles

Vain attempts to catch up
with Time- the recluse, the fugitive.

Meet me & I will tell you
Things, you have left behind
gathering dust in a corner
Things, you will see ahead
forest fires & snowstorms

Meet me & I will tell you
stories told a million times over before
because I am but a cliche

Zindagi

kuch khuli khuli si kuch dabi dabi si hai
zindagi kuch apni si kuch ajnabi si hai
thodi thodi si daudi daudi si
zara zara dheere chal rahi hai
har pal ab palko pe mere
ek pal ki zindagi pal rahi hai

thodi thodi tod li kahin pe
thodi thodi chod di wahin pe

tukde do tukde
kisine na pakde
honge pade
yahin kahin
jahaan kahin
wahin sahin
zindagi...
....................................................
ruki ruki si raatein rookhi rookhi si baatein
suni suni si baatein sooni sooni si raatein
kuch dafnaate chale
kuch apnaate chale

bulbule se chehre bula-bulake pahne
chulbuli subah ko jala gayi dopahre
marham lagaaya kahin
maatam manaaya kahin

kabhi kabhi kahin baha gaya
kabhi kabhi nahin raha gaya

chehre woh chehre
na guzre na thahre
honge pade
yahin kahin
jahaan kahin
wahin sahin
zindagi...
....................................................
buri buri si aankhein bhoori bhoori si aankhein
bhari bhari si aankhein bhaari bhaari si aankhein
kuch dikhate gaye
kuch dukhate gaye

kisi kisiki roohein kosi kosi si raahein
koi kisiko chaahe kaske thami si baahein
kuch kuch jagaaya bhi tha
khud kuch jalaaya bhi tha

apne banaaye to hote nahin
sapno ke saaye to hote nahin

sapne woh sapne
tadpaane tadapne
honge pade
yahin kahin
jahaan kahin
wahin sahin
zindagi...
....................................................