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

182. Ek Kahaani Aur!

woh nahin aaya

parson tak woh roz aaya karta tha
saayon ka libaas pahne
bujhti saanjh ke saahil se hote hue

meri peshani pe rukta
aur intezaar karta
mere sone ka

jaise hi main
kisi muskuraati karvat ko chun leta
woh haule se, bina aahat kiye
meri aankhon me utar jaata

aur us mod se nikalta
jahaan main woh
ek sau satrah taaron wali potli
rakha karta hoon...

kabhi kabaar woh ek taara chura leta
aakhir amaanat to usi ki thi
aur us taare ki roshni me
meri aankhon ke galiyaaron se guzarta
jahaan woh hairat se dekhta
maine kaise
uske shab-o-roz
beraham-o-besabab se
qaid rakhe hain
na jaane kitne kamron me

woh aahat to nahin karta
par kuch jaamani rang ke maile saaye chod jaata
mere naarangi deewaron pe

par woh pichli raat
to nahin aaya
na jaane kyun

yun bhi nahin ke main
bedaar baitha tha

koi poocho use
kisi kaanton wale taare se
lagke kahin ungli to nahin kaat li
usne apni

aur haan
ye bhi poochna
kahin woh meri syaah aankhon me
yaadon ke nau hazaar maale
dekhkar
darr to nahin gaya
-------------------------------
that
was inspired!
this
is inspiring!!

181. Aabshaar VI

1.
Nayyy, time cannot be an anagram!!

lamhen nichodoon to yaadein tapak jaati hain
ungli jo chodoon to raahein bhatak jaati hain

tajjub hai - waqt to kabhi rasta nahin bhatakta
----------------------------------------
2.
- So?!
- ham na... (pauses) kuch nahin! nothing important!!
- (grunts) hmmm! (breaks into a laugh)

muskuraa lo ke main khushfahami aazmaaya nahin karta
kaif-asar khwahishein meri yun hi sunaaya nahin karta

----------------------------------------
3.
- What do you think?!
- (rolls eyes) I think that you think too much!!

shamme bujhaate muamme suljhaate waqt katne se raha
bas itna bata de main apni shaam kahaan chod aaoon
-----------------------------------------
4.
- How are you?
- Fine, just about! (smiles and looks away)
- Why are you like this? What does one do with you?! (smiles)


bedaar-o-betaab karke hame yun
hamse hamara mijaaj na poocho
marz-e-masarrat lagaaya tumhi ne
khud hamse ilaaj na poocho

180. Paigaam

pichli raat bhi
main aasmaan se guzar raha tha;
wahi - har shab ki tarah!
thode taare jode ungliyon se;
thode taare pheeke pad rahe the to
tod bhi diye

kisi kahkashaan se guzar raha tha
to dekha ke
khalbali si machi hui thi!

kisi ne payaam choda tha mere liye
wahaan par;
shaayad pata hoga ki
main wahaan se aksar guzarta hoon...

maine taaron ko tatola
to lifaafa mila
us shaqs ne
kuch noorani khayaal
aur kuch sunahre alfaaz
pahnaake
mere naam
ik ummeed rakh di thi
kisi taare ki hatheli me!

lifafe me
thodi si khushfahami bhi thi
thodi si badgumaani bhi
aur ek tasveer thi
jispe muskaan ki aamad se
un rukhsaaron me yun bhanvar pad rahe the
jinme saare taare doob-ke bujhne lage the

aise me khalbali kyun nahin machti?!

main
us payaam-o-tasveer ko
apni neeli kameez me baandhke
waapis to laut aaya hoon

par sochta hoon
is dafa jo jaaoon
aasmaan pe
to wahaan se na lautoon...

kya pata
wahaan pe mere liye
us shaqs ne aur bhi
payaam chode ho?!
---------------------------------
Could I live in the stars?
Could I be your neighbour?!

baatein

Barks and bites!! lolm lolm lolm :) :)

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

guftaar nahin deedaar nahin
bevajah yun ham bedaar nahin

kah-ne sun-ne ko hai to bahut
bas tu sun-ne ko tayyaar nahin

sukuun-e-sukuut thi apni kabhi
par ab kahin uske aasaar nahin

khamoshi mere hisse ki khatm
ab lafzon ka koi shumaar nahin

tu thahra badgumaani ka ghulaam
kisi baat pe bhi aetbaar nahin

haan, hai khaamiyon ki dukaan meri
par tu kuch kam aebdaar nahin

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

Shush! dont speak!! :D

178. mujhko aawaaz de - II

Quit Caution - For the one who wants to tread where fools don't!! :) :) :)

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

ehteyaat ab bahut ho chuka beraham
ab to kar de yahaan se wahaan parde

dareecha-e-nigaah kab se shaffaaf hai
kuch na aaye nazar sab dhuaan kar de

fiqr-e-furqat to fitrat me apni na thi
ab khalaon me apne nishaan bhar de

kitna masroof hai tu kitna mashghool hai
koi fursat meri thodi wahaan par de

hai giraftaar teri aahon me shab meri
kuch to kar, ab to inko rihaa kar de

dasht-e-falak pe sitaare tishnaakaam kyun
saraabon me mashroob-e-muskaan bhar de

sukhanwar bana hai ye kaayal tera
aake chuule ise bezubaan kar de

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

Ehteyaat : Caution
Dareecha: Window
Shaffaaf: Transparent
Furqat: Separation
Khalaon; Vacuum, Space
Masroof, Mashghool : Busy, Occupied
Dasht: Desert
Falak: Sky
Tishnaakaam: Thirsty
Saraab : Mirage
Mashroob : Drink
Sukhan war: Poet

:)

The last line, though, is a rip-off from another piece of mine