202. Padosi

phir se darwaaze band kar jaaye koi
band kamre me kahaaniyaan
bikhri rahen

ranjishein parose ek mausam
aur guftagu ke chand cheente
chidak jaaye khaamosh deewaron pe

sulagte se
do kadam faaslon me
ek jazbaat chadhata tha
dheemi si aanch pe

woh rasm ik rishta tha
jiska naam kabhi mila hi nahin

sulagte se
do kadam faaslon me
jo baat thi
meelon ki dooriyon
me wo baat kahaan?

phir se chulhe pe
ubalne ko
pahren chadha de koi

ghar pe taale lagaake
nikalta hoon har savere
phir har subah
kuch taraana gungunaake
tasavvur pe chod jaaye koi

mujhe phir se jhagadna hai
phir se dekhne hai daraawne tasveeren
aur bedaar baithna hai raaton me
phir se besabab gappe ladaane hain
phir se taane maarne hai
kisi na kisi ko
har shaam

thodi si peeli roshni ke parde
pahnaa jaaye
aur eent ke is bakse ko
phir ghar banaa jaaye koi

mujhe khule darwaazon
ki aadat nahin rahi
phir se bagal wale kamre ka darwaaza
band kar jaaye koi

---------------------------------
well, yes - miss is happening!!

201. Frayed Thoughts

Sometimes things change! taking off from Cotton Thoughts !!!

-----------------------------
The seamstresses scout for the satin smile
while thoughts fray
& the last few grains of sand in the hourglass
remain slaves to arithmetic

I look out of my window
You look at your sky
We patch it up
with blue
pieces of conversation
the blue in my heart
the blue in your eyes
the blue of the sky...

When I refuse to move,
I smell of you.
I was still when I began.
I am,
still.

Art is still my chosen pastime

None else would
weigh this silence
weigh the sky
weigh your sight
weigh my smile;
aren't they all nothing?

Art is the pastime of a desperate heart

& to kill hours in desperation
while I sit still,
I
don stone deaf metaphors
so you can catch me unaware
& unwrap words
to find tremulous blanks underneath
for you to fill with love bites!
---------------------------------------

Yes, intolerable miss is happening off!!!

200. Unusual Winter

You have left
a winter
on my trail
unlike any I have seen before!

each night
while the trees dance
in the cool silvery breeze
and shed
their crisp yellow leaves
you visit me

I shed
two strands of dreams
on your pillow
and a dozen inhibitions
in your bed

and at dawn
I find
a heap of star dust
in my backyard

while you toss
restlessly
in your sleep
each night
does your sky
shed
stars too?!

Is your winter
as unusual as mine?!

199. The Tippler

there always is
some rum in her glass
and some scandal on her trail

while the rest of the world
opens eyes
each morning
to a new day
with stale hope

she stirs from her sleep
to a new past
each noon
and unwraps the night gone by
with obscene anticipation

but then
she has always been one
to turn her back
on rules;
or so they say

she refuses to plan

plans are such addictive armours
against accidents.
it is a shame-
people plan

accidents are such charming things.
the pleasant ones kill cynicism
and make futile memories,
and the unpleasant ones-
they make for such appetizing gossip
over alcohol

and thus
she dances on

while each night
adds some more red to her cheeks
and some more adjectives to her stories

while each night
gifts some more snickers
to her dwindling set of denouncers
and sends some more admirers to the grave

she dances on

what does it say of her
if intoxication
is the mainstay of her immense appeal
and sobriety?
Oh, of that, one has not heard much!

what does it say of her
if intoxication turns her into a celebrity
and sobriety, a celibate?

what does it say of her
and what does it say of the world?!

---------------------------------------------

She still knows not what she did last night! :P :P

198. Uljhan

maine kabhi
ik nazm ka haath
saunp diya tha
kisi musaafir khayaal ke haathon me

woh musaafir to
nazm ko mere yahaan chodke
ab kuch laapata sa ho gaya
aur woh nazm ab bhi
mere dil me baithi hai

kabhi kabhi jee karta hai
main is nazm ko
kisi aur khayaal ke sang
byaah doon

par main kisiki dulhan ko
kisi aur ke saath
bhej bhi doon
to kaise?

is uljhan me
main us gumshuda khayaal ke lautne ka
intezaar karta hoon
shab-o-roz

aaj subah bhi
main phir yun hi
us khayaal ko khojne nikal hi raha tha
ke mere dil me baithi nazm ne kaha -

"abe o nikamme shaayar,
bahut hua!
apne tahriir ka joda pahnaake
mujhe kisi na kisi khayaal ke saath
ab to kisi kaagaz me bithake
bidaa kar de

kise pata
woh mera shauhar khayaal
kabhi lautega bhi ke nahin

nautanki band kar
aur jaldi mere liye
dooja dulha khayaal dhoondh!

kyun 'drama' kar raha hai?
apne liye to
kabhi 'monogamy' me
'believe' hi nahin kiya!

bas mere paas aakar
'moral science' shuroo?"

197. shaq

khaab the

woh betaab se

the machalte

jal gaye

raakh mal gaye

jalte jalte

aag kisne lagaayi

jaan kaise ganwaayi

kya pata

kya pata

tu tha yaa woh thi, aawaaz jiski suni thi

kya pata

khayaal the yaa ham the, mausam tha ya roshni thi

kya pata

gunehgaar laapata

aetbaar laapata

phir bhi sab se sab mile

ab mile tab mile

jaane kab kab mile

haule haule shab chile

par besabab se lab khile

silsile phir chale

dil jale mar chale

woh kaun tha

kya pata

-------------------------

roshan se shab aur sahar siyaah nikle

kya kahe aabaad ya tabaah nikle

kab se mushq-e-rooh gum hai

ab to ashq-o-aah nikle

kyun bhala

kya pata

-------------------------

tauba ki jagah ab to waah waah nikle

muqadama chala, saare begunaah nikle

qaazi gumraah nikle?

qaatil khud gawaah nikle?

kya hua

kya pata

-------------------------

gunehgaar laapata

aetbaar laapata

phir bhi sab se sab mile

ab mile tab mile

jaane kab kab mile

haule haule shab chile

par besabab se lab khile

haqeeqaton ke kaafilen

jise mile mar chale

woh kaun tha

kya pata

196. Embarrassment

I am allowed to indulge myself!!!
(nose in the air and looks away and recites)
------------------------------------------------
aeroplane
aeroplane
shame and pain
not again

window seat
window seat
close your eyes
and be discreet

chief chief
cake'o'beef
country thief
oh what grief?!

shake a leg
shake a leg
ostrich egg
tries to beg

ogle ogle
giggle giggle
oh my god! why
did i wriggle?!

brief brief
handkerchief
no fig leaf
disbelief

felt the heat
felt the heat
neither could i join
nor could i beat!

not again
shame and pain
aeroplane
aeroplane

195. entropy

a hint of vitriol
a glimpse of violet
two seasons of a sun soaked in
a sea of many scented shades

no

seldom are such riots - by design;
the inconsequential precursor may have been.

else
would algorithms not have spurred romance
and levers -
would they not have spawned love?

but well,
they do not!

not thought through too well,
i agree;
nonetheless
history has always been
but an afterthought

sigh!

194. Chambalimericks - I

yet again I am off to chambal
wrapping myself in a warm kambal
all I want is a daaku
brandishing his chaaku
who would come use me for a dumble

but well, there are none in Morena*
no daakus shooting in the arena
And I'll jus sit and grumble
under my breath I'll mumble
daaku ke bina yahaan jee kare na!
---------------------------
*My current client location, bah!

193. Gaye

gaye gaye chale gaye
saath saare maamle gaye

palate bhi to do pal ko bas
muskuraake jaan le gaye

unke aane ki tayyariyon me
manzar sabhi badle gaye

aaye to dekha saare naqsh
bure gaye. bhale gaye.

ab to gayi nazdeekiyaan
saath saath faasle gaye

kiya bhi hai to kya kiya
mile. gaye. mile. gaye.
....
thande kaandhon se the gile
ummeed hai gile gaye
....
No no... false alarm in previous post.. season's good and so am I!!
:D :D :D

192. Halloween

Of pumpkin lamps and pauper kings
candy wrappers & tramps & paper wings
and though I'm told all are lies and more
the hope does stay

i make signs and mime for all to see
none notices; all see through me
but still i'm sure if i try some more
they will look away

make polite sounds and drink their martinis
look in disdain and enquire what this is
they act like they've got some strange disease
now can't you say?

i never wished to play the game to lose
coz i clearly can't see the use
but i have not found the words to refuse
not till today
----------------------------------------
My annual bad mood time is here! Beware!!

191. Horcrux

ignorance is bliss
sometimes;
sometimes,
just a convenience

How many have died silent
excavating the relics of silence?

How many others
have been been convicted
for sacrilege?

and the nights, they fray
holding on tight
and the days try to slay
the invincible

do not seek the secret
to the silence
that parades by my dreams

i live safe in fetters
inside the cold tomb
pronouncing
visitors guilty

do not seek the secret
for once you know,
i will be no more.

190. tu tu main main

SB:

teri ik aawaaz ki chahat thi,
tune aawaaz de di hoti to
maine apni jaan de di hoti

Sri:

ijaazat ki intezaar me murjha gayi na jaane kitne hi shab
betalab dastak de jaate to sukoon kuch kam nahin milti!!

SB:

masha alla, kya likha hai

Sri:

kuch aur farmaiye kuch aur farmaiye
jo kaha hi nahin, uspe gaur farmaiye

SB:

yahaan to apni shaam ka anjaam karte hai,
aye mere kalam padhne wale tere dar se khali haath jate hai

Sri:

:)

SB:

aye khuda yun zulum na dikha,
bas apni ek zalak to dikha ja

Sri:

mushkil hi sahi kuch der ye faasle rahne de
tadap tadap ke khwahishein bujhaana sikhaa doon tumhe

SB:

aaj saqi hi bol raha hai
dard-o-gum ko bhul ja
par mera sahara na le

Sri:

saaqi se gila na kar zaalim ke
gunaahgaar yahaan aur bhi hain
pyaale me pyaas bhar bhar ke de
aise yaar yahaan aur bhi hain

189. Sawaal

1.

ghar se nikla to sadak pe
kuch noorani muskaan
bikhre pade the

kya tum
meri gali se hoke nikle the?!

2.

tumhare zahan ki zameen
bahut chikni hai

main apni itni yaadein
tumhare kitne vaade
rakhta hoon
wahaan baar baar

aur wo!
wo thaharte hi nahin

har baar
phisalke nikal jaate hain

aise me
tum hi batao
main kya karoon?!

188. Aabshaar VII

1. Fear of death by love?!

hame khauff hai bhi to ishq me jaan ganwaane ka nahin
bas darte hai is silsile me kahin jannat naseeb na ho jaaye

2. Can I call you in the evening when you are free?

Kabse bejaan hain guftagu se mehroom galiyaan meri
aur aap aawaaz chidak-ke jaan phoonk-ne ki ijaazat maangte hain?

3. The craving for that smile

rah rah-ke kabhi muskura de zaalim
ke mere hisse ki sukoon khatm hone ko hai

4. You never call only!!

sabab-e-sukuut poochte to pata chalta
kis nazm me jaan phansi hai meri

5. The silence that ensued!

der se hi sahin khamoshiyaan jalaa de zaalim
kuch kam raaten nahin guzri, karvaton ka hisaab karte

6. The unpredictability

uski muhabbat bhi kisi begaane mausam ka mohtaaj hai
kabhi rah rahke jalti dhoop aur kabhi bevajah kohra

7. Those who see the poetry, seldom notice the poet! I protest!!

sochte hain alfaazon ka naqaab utaar hi de ab
khamoshi ke bahaane hi sahi deedar kar loge hamara

187. The Protagonist & The Italics

he plucks ripe pauses,
& hangs strips of silence
to dry in the sun.

he touches
the brittle pale yellow sheaves
and they crumble into powdered memories;
the rest -
he pickles in a jar
of spicy dreams.

light years,
are not a whim.
light years,
are not a part of the recipe.
they are just traitors,
by design-
much like
the ringlets of smoke,
he blows into the air.

he steals a half-baked night
& saves it in his closet.

he does not notice anything amiss.
well, he had too many to begin with,
left behind in admiration
by voyeur winds -
the ones he stunned to silence.

(for
he refuses to play
by the script)

he
is the script
inane & convoluted
while his audience
watch with bated breath
though they know the story

(well, he does not)

his audience -
a jar of pickled dreams
& a heap of powdered memories
----------------------

186. Sadiyaan saanjh chale!

It has to happen... Once every few months I need to get into a filmy mood... This is a rather old piece.. but feel like posting abhi.. No, no prizes for guessing why?! :P
So here's to the adamant evenings which refuse to pass... and the ruthless nights which refuse to come!!

:) :) :)

......................................................................

sadiyaan saanjh chale

mori to jaan nikale

raah tak thak jaaoon

par na chaand nikale

daiyyaa! raina aave na

saiyyan, aag jale

tose milan ki kaamna

ki dheemi aanch chale

--- --- --- --- --- --- ---

chhin dooje chin ke beech bair hui gavaa?

yaa saanjh ko mose pyaar hui gavaa??

raina kaahe aave na?!

chhin dooje chin ke beech bair hui gavaa?

yaa saanjh ko mose pyaar hui gavaa??

jaa jaa re jaa re

saanjh sakhaa re

raina bhijaa re

more angna re

raina ko odh le

isi aas tale

raah tak thak jaaoon

par na chaand nikale

--- --- --- --- --- --- ---

kauno badra ke bhool bhulaiyya me bhatak gavaa?

kauno angnaa ke peepal pe atak gavaa??

chanda kaahe aave na?!

kauno badra ke bhool bhulaiyya me bhatak gavaa?

kauno angnaa ke peepal pe atak gavaa??

preet ki rang hai

preetam sang hai

bas ik chanda

more sang na, re

chanda ko tod le

isi aas tale

raah tak thak jaaoon

haan, bas jaan nikale

..........................................

Is the evening in love with me? or is this moment having a spat with the next?!
Why does not the f***ing night arrive?!

Is it stuck on some tree? Or is it lost in the maze of some dumb-a** cloud?!
Where the f*** is the moon?!

Phew!!

Come off fastly fastly, I say!!

185. sabab-e-hayaat koi to de

sabab-e-hayaat koi to de

misaal-e-marg ke siwaay bhi

sabab-e-hayaat koi to de

tamaam karna hai kya

yeh bhi to pata nahin

baaqee rah gaya hai kya

yeh bhi to pata nahin

naa ibtedaa ka hai pataa

naa hai nazar me intehaa

yahaan wahaan kahaan kahaan

bas taqariib ki talaash hai

befaez-o-besabab se sab

is justajuu me koo-ba-koo

firaa karen giraa karen

jiyaa karen maraa karen

nabz nabz bas hisaab hai

lafz lafz bas naqaab hai

ehd-e-rasm to kiya nahin

sabab-e-hayaat koi to de

misaal-e-marg ke siwaay bhi

sabab-e-hayaat koi to de

---------------------------------

The Reason?!

184. tajveez koi tarkeeb koi

hogi koii tajveez to hogi
sochoon main bhi tarkeeb chala doon

har chauraahe ik aah chadha doon
har chaukhat ik armaan bitha doon

tu guzre jahaan se shaqlein badalke
mere khayaalon ka pahra lagaa doon

mere naqsh-e-kadam se rang doon naqshe tere
har shaqs ke lab, mere kisse sajaa doon

har mez har chat har wark har aahat
sab pe tonaa kar meri yaad banaa doon

aasmaan tera hi hai mere sar bhi
mere muskaan ke shafaq ke tukde tangaa doon

gapshap kar le tu kabhi mujhse bhi
betaab main apna hisaab chukaa doon

shikasta bhatkaa sa dar pe mere kabhii aa
tumse uljhe mere shab-o-roz dikhaa doon
---------------------------------

:) :) :)

sabke dardi o bedardi
kaisi hai teri khudgarzi
maine bhar di apni arzi
haan kar naa kar teri marzi...
saiyyaaan!!
(The above five lines of the program are an extract from the song "saiyyan" from the film Nayak)
:D :D :D

183. Muaafi

kis kis-se iltajaa karen koi yun na kare
jab bhi sahar naya ho uska khoon na kare

kitne tabaah khaab-gaahon ka gawaah - waqt
khamosh sa guzre ye guftaguu na kare

khaamkhwaah sab nigaah ummeedwaar hain
ye zidd to hai fizool ka junoon, na kare

shamsheer-e-zubaan se ab koi kah bhi de
jaan leke koo-e-dil pursukoon na kare

taa-umr bas talaash-e-firdaus hi rahi
kahta koi ke aisi justajuu na kare

gustaakh tha naapak tha par ab subuk bhi hai
tauheen musalsal sabke roobaroo na kare

kabse giraft me taariiki liye hain Sadiq
nijaat-e-dard aakhir koi kyun na kare