December 26, 2014

One small step for a man

Endless waters stretching out
As far as the eye can see
I stand there, stuck in a moment

But the sands hold me fast and
Cocoon my feet in an embrace
And I know it's okay to step out

I'm staring at a sea of people
All the voices drowning me out
I stand there, blinded and muted

But you hold my hand tight and
I can put on a brave face
And I know it's okay to step out

May 3, 2013

Sunny smiles :)


There was a tear welling up in the corner of her left eye. He could see it gearing up to break free as she worked herself up scribbling at a furious pace. The contents of the paper could only be guessed but it couldn't have been glad tidings. Happy tears don't wait there like that.

Now and then she would scrunch her face in absolute concentration and her nose would break up into numerous lines around the tip. And the tear's position would become all the more precarious. The coffee by her side had long gone cold, its warmth long forgotten. She was in a cold world of her own, her mouth working soundlessly as she went on writing. She was clearly talking to a demon but was it her own?

His own coffee had gone cold in his hands. His eyes were darting back and forth between her face and her fingers. And the tear. 

She was nearing the end. He could sense it somehow. Maybe it was the way she seemed to put all the strength of her frail frame into the writing instrument. Maybe it was the way her shoulders had been rigid for the last couple of minutes. Maybe it was how the tear hung itself to an eyelash.

Now was his chance. He didn't have much time. He got up and hurried about.

She signed the letter 'goodbye'. The tension had drained her of all energy - her eyes were still staring at the words her fingers had manufactured in the recent past. She reached for her coffee. She touched his fingers around the hot coffee.

She looked up, startled. The sun smiled at her from behind him. She smiled back.

He turned back and walked away.

The tear broke free.

December 2, 2012

Ishq wala love :)


उसे प्यार करते
हर वक़्त  एक ख्याल 
दिमाग के किसी कोने में
चुभता रहता था 
क्या यही 
किताबों वाला प्यार 
होता होगा?

हर मुलाक़ात को 
इक छपी-छपाई तस्वीर के
रंगों से तोलते मोलते
हर बात को 
कहीं पढ़े कुछ शब्दों के
आगे रख पढ़ते

एक दौड़ सी हो गयी थी
किताबों की उकेरी
रंगीन तस्वीरों
और
उसके साथ बाटीं
धूसर शामों
के बीच

किताबों वाला प्यार
बड़ा सुहाना लगता था
उसका प्यार प्यारा था पर
बड़ा फीका लगता था

फिर एक दिन उसने
मुझे पकड़ बिठाया
आँखों में आँखें डाल
हाथों में कुछ थमाया

कुछ भारी सा था
पढने में हल्का सा
अब तक अनजाने
रंगों से रंगा
हर शब्द  तितली के
रंगों से सजा

वो अब तक हमारे
संग गुज़ारे सारे 
लम्हों का चिट्ठा था 

हम ढूंढते रहे
किताबों वाला प्यार
और यहाँ हमारे
प्यार की किताब
बन गयी थी

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

October 16, 2012

missive misgiving :)


बंद लिफाफों को हाथों में ले
थोडा घबरा सा जाते हैं हम 
अन्दर शब्द हैं, भारी हैं 
क्या इन्हें समझ सकेंगे हम 

भारी हैं शैतान मुस्कानों से
जो लिखते हुए होठों पे आये थे 
भारी है मासूम सवालों से 
जो बस आँखों में घिर आये थे 

तुम्हारे होने का एहसास कराते शब्द 
तुम्हारे न होने से बडे  भारी हैं 
ये सोच के की पढ़ कर तुम याद आओगे
अनखुले लिफाफों में रात गुजारी है 

October 8, 2012

circular motion

she stood there
saying things i wasn't listening to
and when i couldn't stand
the distance between us
i ran up to her
gathered her in my arms
and spun round and round
and i saw her face
up close against mine
against a background
of the rest of the world in motion
she was the only constant thing
just as it should ideally be
in my world

This is the happy counterpart of this one.

Wish on a falling star

सूरज के साथ आपके सिराहने बैठ
हम बस आपको निहारा करें
और आपकी नींद भरी मुस्कानों से
हर नई सुबह को हारा करें

उस हंसी को कहीं अन्दर छुपा
सारा दिन आपको सोच गुज़ारा करें
शाम को फिर घर वापस आ
इन मुस्कराहटों पे फिर दिल वारा करें

October 1, 2012

absent-mindedness


कुछ कहते हैं वो इशारों में
खोये से ना जाने किन ख्यालों में
ना समझ कर भी हम सुने जाते हैं
उनके ख्यालों में हम ही तो आते हैं
:)

May 23, 2012

Reasons for Love



because there's a bench
in some future park
that looks empty
without you beside me
 
because there's a me
in some stupid past
who would have been silly
without you beside me

May 7, 2012

The starry night


stars in her eyes
she gazed at the sky
it was a dark night
and the stars lit her face
like a moon in flesh and blood

the endless canopy above
and infinite darkness below
she spread out her arms
to feel the vastness of it all
an angel floating on ether

we clung to each other
felt the currents of time
and as the clouds crossed the moon
throwing shadows on our faces
we were at one with our good/bad selves

a gust of freezing wind
sent a shiver down my spine
and i snuggled closer to her
she was all the warmth i ever needed
the cold night couldn't have been more pleasant

i wish i could reach out
and pluck a handful of stars
to shower her with
to bring to life all her dreams
and be her hero forever

my world in my arms
i was up there in the clouds

May 4, 2012

Myopia

बदनसीबी के मौसम
कुछ ऐसे घर कर गए
दरिया किनारे बैठे
हम प्यासे मर गए

बारिश की बूँदें आईं तो
मन हल्का करने हमारा
हम छाता उड़ जाने का
ग़म मनाते रह गए