~ खलल ~

ख़ुशी रहती नहीं,
खाली पैमाना देख के
ख्वाब सजते नहीं,
बिखरे अरमान देख के
हम बदनाम सही,
इश्क का फरमान भेज के
और हैरान सही,
तेरा पैगाम देख के।


तेरी महफिल में अब अनजान सही
तुझको यूँ आबाद देख के।

Myopia

scout for thoughts
where none exist.
reach out and laugh
yet, tears persist.
is the hope alive?
delusions consist,
of unmet desires.

Denial at heart,
acceptance within.
unsettled, distraught,
queries therein.
Can I have you or not?
'never', you claim.
Can I ever move on?
'surrender', in vain.

Fate intervenes.
We drift apart.
Smiles creep in,
through a weary heart.
was it love?.. or was it not?
was I lucky? ... or were you not?

~ एक आस ~

तिनके थे कुछ बाकी
अब दरख्त ही है खाली।
तुम हो की नही?
तुम हो ही नही....
पर तुम्हारी आस है बाकी।
ख़्वाबों की कैफ़ियत
दहशत सी खामोशी,
बंद इन कमरों में
तुम्हारी आहट है बाकी।
चिल्लाते हैं रोज़ हम
कुछ सिसकियों के भरोसे,
काश की तुम्हारे दिल में
मेरा प्यार है बाकी।

~ Tragedy ~

stoic and gray
slowly it stayed
made this his home
uncurling, unfurled
surreptitiously it lay
marking its own
territory and death
casually it came
to claim in sleep
all that i owned.

it has been a while
since Life lived here
its now a dwelling
of Devils and Banes
it has been a while
since Smiles slept here
its now a memory for
tears and stains.

Light up the charred candles
unleash the prayers
exhaust the archives
of goodwill and dares
challenge the Lord
bask in forgiveness
reclaim a final win
and survive this stillness.


~ anki

~ treads ~

a definitive destiny
road mapped unto the goal
path, lined with tricks and treats
all for me to galore
Glory awaits!, such is the claim
by all those, inroads.
I yet walk a tawdry path
I still wish for more.

aspire, perspire, inspire, cajole
satisfaction achieved
confessions retold
all is misery
yet I adore, the heart, the beat, the very soul

a transition

forbidden fires of heaven -
troubles of a weary heart.
ever paused to wonder,
perils plundering land of Gods?

high amongst the clouds
throned in pine
robed in green
white as a shiny beard
wise and witty, they all seem.

sunshine gleaming on snowy peaks
the only warmth they ever seek
aloof and cold
judgmental and old,
The Almighty!, we are ever told.

Demon's laugh sounds meek.
Hell welcomes me back
away from the bothering snow
exhausted in devil's lair.

~longing

Tethered to the sparkling sky
a lonely pillow of cloud
haloed in the moonlight
silently gloating afloat
all attempts to wipe it clean
& it still lingers about

I choose to fall in love with it.

I hug it in delight.
I now wish that it were so,
around me every night.

smiling through pale white lips.
Amused at my stance,
it chides me for being foolish
and then,
moves on.