Painting Desires

Let me try
painting my desires
with my eyes.

There you go!
Love is your wardrobe
& pain, your accessory.

It goes so well
with your smile-
teasing & taunting!
there,yet not there!

your nose is my playground
& your thought is my home.

To hell with poetry-
You are brutally hot
I am fatally horny.

Ah, what are you,
but a desire of my making!

What are you-
My mistress
or my master?

Chaand ko maar do!

Chaand utaar do
chaand ko maar do

is ziddi se kaafir ki
sadiyon se ek si aadat hai
ab to marna hi ibaadat hai
isko marne ki ijaazat do

yaa to ab kuch aur chadha do
yaa to ab aasmaan hi uda do
baandh-ke kheencho zor lagake
chaand hata do, chaand chuda do

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

roz uth-uthke gira karta hai
yeh kat kat-ke mara karta hain
bas ek din marne ki nautanki
phir badh badh-ke bhara karta hai

routine to bahut hi pheeka hai
kitna boring kaheen-ka hai
mere kamre me jhaankta rahta hai
batao, yeh bhi kya saliiqa hai?

yaa to ab kuch aur chadha do
yaa to ab aasmaan hi uda do
baandh-ke kheencho zor lagake
chaand hata do, chaand chuda do

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

har shab chaand ke chulhe pe
gud-neem se sapne pakte hain
apna pakaya yeh chakhta hi nahin
na ham kabhi inko parakhte hain

har roz chulhe se paala pada
jal jalke chaand pe chaala pada
kabhi chulha jalaake bhula de ye
to chehra poora hi kaala pada

yaa to ab kuch aur chadha do
yaa to ab aasmaan hi uda do
baandh-ke kheencho zor lagake
chaand hata do, chaand chuda do

Chaand utaar do
Chaand ko maar do

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

Faceless Intruder

It wasn't until that fateful day
when an innocuous greeting
turned everything around,
that I noticed things
living, unseen by my eyes

It wasn't until then
that I noticed
the futility of attempts
to fill bottomless wells
with dead consonants & long vowels
& punched punctuation marks

I noticed
the caprices of oracles
who make dead-ends into highways

I noticed
that emotions had no nativity
& how pain can be forged into smileys

I noticed
that all stories are but the same-
just that the narrator tweaks the narration
blurring the imagery

I noticed
that there are no questions
but one -
Self

I noticed
that faces are but pseudonyms
to gift anonymity to the world

I noticed
restlessness can be reasonless
& unreasonable

I noticed
that Apollo is apologetic, all the time
for leaving smiles, unsolicited

I noticed
You

Now I wish to go back
to what I was
before I noticed

So kill yourself
& stay dead until dawn

Incandescent Metaphors

An angel stopped at my door step

Give me a little of your tomorrow
without cabs with neon lights honking
without screens with virtual windows blinking

Write me down in pieces
of incandescent metaphors

How do I dress her up in words?

She has found a home in some lazy moment
or maybe, is still scouting for one,
in pieces of yesterdays & tomorrows.
There are always so many.

She flows along turbulently
wearing reflections of the sky.
The sky does not understand;
she does not explain.

She flows down truculently
with banks on either side, dawn & twilight.
The banks-
are they wings
or are they anchors?

Naive, she forgives mirages
for being abhorrent & arrogant;
but follow them, she does.

There is so much to her
& just too little that one can know.

How do I make her up
& let her out of herself?

An innocent angel
still waits at my doorstep;
or is she a conniving witch?

Bematlab...yahaan kuch to hua hoga!

kuch khaab jale honge
bas khaak nazar me hai
yahaan kuch to hua hoga
har taraf dhuaan sa hai

masoom si aahat bhi
mahfoos nahin hain yahaan
mahroom si kismat hai
mayoos si baithi hai

kis kooche me utrega
uski marzi to na thi
yeh naam-o-shaql uska
kisi raat ka purza hai

iski khataa kya hai
jo maut ke tohfe mile-
bas naam liya rab ka?
tera khudaa kya hai??

bekas si yeh berahami
bevajah kyun pahne ho?
nafrat to viraasat me
har shaqs ko milti hai

zindagi meri, meri nahin
teri jaan bhi teri nahin
tu qabr banaaye meri
kal tera janaaza hai

----------------------------------
We inherit so many prejudices.
Did we ever stop to think if they are worth while?
Are they?

My Taj Mahal

Why do I write of love?

It is neither pressing
nor impressing
nor depressing

Why do I write of love?

It knows no grammar
It holds no glamour

Then why do I write of
the skies in his eyes on restless days
the storms in my gasps on turbulent nights

Why?

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

I keep moving on
from one story to another
leaving tombs on dead ones
in faceless times
in nameless places
clueless
about the next tombstone.

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

He had waited
I had too.
We thought-
Love is not a slave of confessions
Ah! But then,
silence is an insidious assassin

& we did not know that

Lights adorning the walls
The sound of shahnai
Girls giggling over floral designs of mehndi

In the courtyard next to mine,
they are celebrating.

Another love story died today.

Time for yet another Taj Mahal
a tomb
not for a lost lover
but for a love story
dead & dusted.

So tonight
I write of love
I write my last Taj Mahal
until tomorrow.

Guftagu

zarra zarra ab zaar zaar ho gaya
zara zara si baaton se pyaar ho gaya

baaton me pahren palatna, kasoor hai tera
tere sang main bhi gunahgaar ho gaya

besabab guftagu se gila karta hai dil
isi me har lamha jo giraftaar ho gaya

aakar, saari umr rakh di hai ulatke
nasha utar gaya aur khumaar ho gaya

naakaam sa mafahoom talaashta hoon main
ab to har maayna bekaar ho gaya

parda gira diya to shuruuaat hui
daastaan aakhir me aebdaar ho gaya

jab buni thi zindagi tab to tu nahin tha
ab achanak kaise ek khirdaar ho gaya?

mareez nazar aata tha par khud marz hai
main bas bekhabar sa beemaar ho gaya

ekhtiyaar me the arzoo, to magroor tha
tum mile, to guroor gubaar ho gaya

din bhar khwahishon se bach-bachke chala
raat hui! shikaastaa, shikaar ho gaya

aaj phir naye tukde jud gaye chehron par
aaj phir soonaapan faraar ho gaya

aadatn sannaate jeete the lab par
ab begharaz lavzon ka dayaar ho gaya

kal maine chedi thi to bas baat thi
tumne chhua to yeh ashaar ho gaya

-----------------------------------------
Dedicated to HippO

Tere baad

tere saath bhi jeete the
tere baad bhi jeete hain
haan, mere ghar me magar

zindagi thodi kam si hai

Phir khud ko duaa denge
phir khud ko dagaa denge
phir raah wahi lenge
ham aaj bhi jee lenge
------------------------

inaayat jo karein yaadein
gunguna denge gaa denge
aankhein kaise khaali rakhein
do boondein lagaa denge

gud si baatein teri
ham aaj bhi chakhte hain
ruk ruk-kar hanste hain
ro ro-kar thakte hain

shikwa karein nam si nazar

zindagi thodi kam si hai
------------------------

phir laal se sapne tere
raaton ko jagaa denge
phir aankhein cheekhengi
zaalimon ko bhagaa denge

pichli raat se bistar par
baithe baithe hamne
khidki se ambar par
haule din chadte, dekha

zinda hui duniya magar

zindagi thodi kam si hai
------------------------

tere saath bhi jeete the
ham aaj bhi jee lenge
phir khud ko duaa denge
phir khud ko dagaa denge

Duaa

aankhon se taane dete hain
aur kabhi lab se dua karte hain

aisa bhi nahin ke afsos hai
bade be-adab se dua karte hain

jin-jinko marte chod diya
mare un sab se dua karte hain

udhar lekar na utaarne ki
kyun bematlab se dua karte hain

khud to raham baanta hi nahin
ab jaake rab se dua karte hain

kal ham-umr koi mar sa gaya
sahme yeh tab se dua karte hain

Cotton Thoughts

The face glided through the neighborhood of my dreams
wearing a satin smile...
The seamstresses - my eyes,
did not stock silk...!

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...

We are off... we move on
but then
I am still
I am,
still.

Art is my chosen pastime

Who 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 constipated mind

Oh, I am sorry.
I was born to be apologetic
even more so, when I say the truth.
Aren't all humans?

Zubaan

mannat me kuch rishte maangte hain
jannat se farishte maangte hain

kabhi to chehron pe gaur karte
rasm dafnaake kuch aur karte

to baat alag nahin hoti?

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


har lamhe ka hisaab dhoondhte hain
har kisse ka jawaab dhoondhte hain

bevajah kabhi shaam dhalne dete
nam aankhon me naam palne dete

to baat alag nahin hoti?

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

haathon me hazaaron lakeerein milti hain
taqdeer gumraah hai - kiski galti hai

bas zara si haath ki safaai
karte kismat se thodi bevafaai

to baat kuch aur nahin hoti?

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

andheron me bach bachke afsos karte hain
phir unhi raahon me har roz marte hain

aankhein barasti hain to khaab badal dete
sabhi ko intezaar hai, mahtaab badal dete

baat kuch alag nahin hoti?

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

pichli raaton, bichdi baaton pe maatam manaate hain
zakhm bahut banaate hain aur jashn kam manaate hain

guzre kaaydon ko mitaa dete
jalte maaynon ko bujha dete
hamse hain yeh, inse ham nahin
uth-te, zamaane ko bata dete...

to baat zaroor kuch aur hoti!

-----------------------------------
We pray/wish/hope for thngs to change, thngs to happen, thngs to stop, thngs to begin!
Anybdy asks us to try it ourself... nay, who wud go against tide?!!
A zillion reasons - luck, destiny, stars, rules, conventions... a zillion excuses...Is not our redemption our responsibility?
I am stumped .. Is it not obvious?

Khwahishein

tumpe marna shauk hai, tumhe jeena pesha mera

yunhi jeene ke mujhe kuch aur sabab suhaane de
tumpe marne ke mujhe thode aur haseen bahaane de


meri tasveer liye sapne kitne hain be-ghar bikhre

tere seene me inhe jeene de, do pal bitaane de
yaa inhe teri aatishiin aankhon ke aashiyaane de


teri aawaaz se aabaad hai har ik lamha mera

har sahar sard aahon ko teri aahat me jalaane de
har shab rishton ka karz kishton me nibhaane de


udaa rahe ho sadiyon se, utaarte kyun nahin

chod de aasmaan ko, ab to isko apne ghar jaane de
aasmaan banke tere chaukhat pe mujhe lahraane de


dil vajah hai khwahish ki yaa khwahish dil ki
mujhko itna to samajhne de aur samjhaane de
jis mu-amme me khatm hua hai sukoon apna
us silsile me ab tumhe bhi zara uljhaane de

Muted Witness

Not long ago
we were talking about
who is a better pest - Jay or Jo?!
who is a sweeter idiot - Archu or Hobbes?!

Not long ago
you were yourself
Now-
you are here
yet you are no more
after you returned
with your pink shirt turned black

I wish you had died with the rest.

Tell me, Sri
Tell me when did it snap-
that something in you?
When you heard loud panic?
or when you saw charred faces fall?
or when you felt the resonating wails
ask why some stories end suddenly without an end?

Have not moths burning in candle light
always been a romantic notion in your poetry?
then why?
you said - Crowds are an ugly pain
now you see the flood of empty space
you said - you hate noise & cacophony
now you have silence burning
then -
why?
Tell me, you fool.
move a lip
move a limb

I wish you had died with the rest.

Now I know
the dead are better off
as numbers in the headlines.

Tafreeh

aao
raat bhar
baat karte chalein
saath marte chalein

aao
raat bhar
raat bharte chalein
haath dharke chalein

raatein tarse jo kabhi to dooja chand ugal jaaye
baatein barse jo kabhi to thodi neend nigal jaaye

kahin to hoga koi
jaga jaga apna saga
yunhi masroof majboor hoga

jagah koi jism hogi
vajah koi rasm hogi
dhoondhte hain
chal na

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

aao
bujhe lab pe
lafz jalaa de
lafz chadhaa de

aao
mare shab ki
nabz jagaa de
nabz chalaa de

jabeen pe bhatki khaali takdeer ke zakhm bhar de
zubaan pe atki khamosh tasveer ko khatm kar de

kahin to hoga koi
jaga jaga apna saga
yunhi gumraah gumnaam hoga

jagah koi jism hogi
subah hawa bhasm hogi
soonghte hain
chal na
-----------------------------------

Recreation - is it a choice or an obligation?

Death of a Blue Moon

It has been quite a while
since we last mourned the moon.
So you finally heard that-
you owe me - freedom;
I thought you wouldn't!
I just noticed - I died again last night,
when the dark winds smelled of you.
Not fair?

The wheels went by my house,
leaving an empty evening on the tracks.
I wanted to do that too;
so I did.
I just noticed - I died again last night;
I couldn't get enough of nothing.
Not fair?

It happened now-
it will happen again.
Life - is it not a verb in the past tense?
Emotions - are they not pixelated dreams?
I just noticed - I died again last night,
in a vain attempt to escape answers.
Not fair?

It is about time,
I wrote an obituary
and put together an epitaph
for myself.
I just noticed - I died again last night,
leaving no hint - I have moved on.
Not fair at all!!

So I write-
I died again last night.
Were you the one who killed me?

AasmaaN

chanda pe chandi khilaa aaya hooN
suraj pe sona jalaa aaya hooN

bas thodi si kami baaki hai

sochta hooN-
thoda sa aasmaaN bhi daalooN
neela sa aasmaaN jee daalooN

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

baadalke neeche baitha hai
kyuN kal ko kheeNche baitha hai
yuN palkeiN meeNche baitha hai

saanseiN phir bhi pyaasi haiN

sochta hooN-
geela sa aasmaaN pee daalooN
neela sa aasmaaN jee daalooN

---------------------------
baatoN ke sang udaaooN
raatoN pe zang chadhaooN
haathoN se jang ladaaooN

badri ne raham maangi hai

sochta hooN-
dheela sa aasmaaN see daalooN
neela sa aasmaaN jee daalooN

A Place called Love

Is there a place
between noise & nothingness?

Is there a place
where the sky turns green?
I have seen the sky
in all hues-
white, orange, grey, pink, black, blue!!

Is there a place
where David & Goliath make love?

Is there a place
where stories do not grow old
where summers do not go cold
in waiting picture frames?

Is there a place
where twilight flutters & falters
when it breathes against skin?

I will find that place
for you
Will you come away with me?

A raised brow looked back at me

I read
a moist steel grey smirk
in those eyes

Up yours! Of course!!
Get the laundry basket

Shall we?

ride on the night
read the sky out
when we meet again

the last time
I remember how we danced 'Hakuna Matata'
with, not a worry, on our minds

you left the door ajar behind you
& silence crept into the house unnoticed
what a monster!

now each night
I live a winter
while you whisper smiles in my sleep

and each day
I watch shards of sunshine
travel the length of my room

I just cannot wait
for us to meet again
And when we do
fill me again
spill me again

spice me up
slice me away
like you promised to...

& when you leave
close the door behind you!

Sadak

peeli si hawaa khaa li
khaali si chandni pee li
phir bhi bhookhi pyaasi zindagi
har raat yun hi ruaansi zindagi

har raat aise-taise koste hain
phir subah sabhi paroste hain
wahi pichli raat ki baasi zindagi
raaton ko wahi ruaansi zindagi

hansi udaai apni kisine kabhi
zahan me udti rahti hai ab bhi
hanske udaaii zara si zindagi
har pal bevajah ruaansi zindagi

duaan kare to bikhar jaati hai
sun-ne se pehle mukhar jaati hai
nazar aati kahaan hai dhuaan si zindagi
baasi pyaasi ruaansi zindagi

Meharbaani

koi ishq ishq sahta jaaye
koi ashq ashq bahta jaaye
shab-o-roz bheege-geele se hain
koi khushk sahar pahna jaaye
to meharbaani hogi!

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

us paar koi hai bhi ke nahin
maloom nahin jaana bhi nahin
jaane kyun magar, itna hai yakeen
sunta hai woh, bas aawaaz nahin

rozana yunhi shaam-o-sehar
yun kabr pe phoolon ke zariye
apni baatein kahta jaaye
aur ashq ashq bahta jaaye

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


murda lamha saans bharta hi nahin
jaan phoonke, koi karta bhi nahin
afsaana jo tasveeron me qaid-
zinda bhi nahin, marta bhi nahin

rozana yunhi shaam-o-sehar
besabr se thahar-ke raahon me
ummeed liye rahta jaaye
par ishq ishq sahta jaaye

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

jaane kitne shikwe chede
bikhri kaliyon ke sannaate
karoobaar khusboo ka khatm kiya
par aise jhadte nahin kaante

rozana yunhi shaam-o-sehar
girte bhi gaye ginte bhi gaye
naamunasib hai kahta jaaye

koi ishq ishq sahta jaaye
koi ashq ashq bahta jaaye
shab-o-roz bheege-geele se hain
koi khushk sahar pahna jaaye
to meharbaani hogi!

This is about painful love in different forms - the one which does not die with the dead & the one which never quite made it & the one which is dead but for the complaints... & people are stuck to it, why??God alone knows!!
Can someone change it? meharbaani hogi!