फिर कर शुरुवात ...

नन्हे क़दमों से शुरू किये

जो सफ़र कोमल हाथों के सहारे

लो आज मांगे साथ दुबारा

तुम नहीं तो जग बेगाना

फिर आ कड़ी हूँ मैं चौराहे पर

किस राह पर मंजिल लिखी हैं ?

काले बादलो से लगता हैं दर

तुम्हारे आँचल में समेट, होना हैं बेफिकर

याद हैं मुझे वो एक रूपये का सिक्का 

रोज जमा कर मुझे अमीर बना देना

कब बन गयी तीन रूपये का जुगाड़

कर दिया हर नसीयत तेरी बिगाड़

लो कहो ' फिर कर शुरुवात...'

ख्वाब शीशों का नहीं, यकीन दिला दो

तुम्हारी छोटी छोटी बातों में छिपा हैं खज़ाना

लो आज मांगे साथ दुबारा

तुम नहीं  तो जग बेगाना . . .

Pic courtesy : http://tweetymom.files.wordpress.com

Sochne wali baat hain!

Sorrow it was that made you strong,

Pain it was that pulled you along

what then do you seek in Happiness?

in her, no Teacher is born!

Perception personified!

the abstract hits a score -

where sharp edges fear to tred

pink is no longer innocence

when the eyes begin to dread!

In circles...

Beyond the unknown, yonder our arguments
I feel your smile – the smile that knoweth all

As the eternal mystery commenced
You chose me just as I chose you
Yet I felt this choice to be in vain
Yet I was playing the denial game
All awhile, quiet annoyed with you

And as the mystery unfolded with time
Along came the storm, the surges gushed in
In all its wilderness, they snatched you within
I was left aghast, my feeble mind dislodged
For the first time I saw, that which was

You strived to not let go of me
You fumbled around helplessly
Like a true warrior, you rose above
In numbed realization, in divine bow
It was the moment of Truth for me
That which triggered a whole new quest

And in that quest I happened to see
A time, a memory, a forgotten me
In which I felt you and I felt the vast
And as it all is in a constant state of flux
A flux that drove me by kind insight
Through a journey – a bewitching flight

No matter what ebbs and tides lay in it
No matter the debates about virtue and vice
As time stills the eternal menace
I find myself moulding unknowingly
And before I saw the carvers’ knife
I had realized - I had become you
The you, I never knew about
The you with the smile that knoweth all…



P.S: Today is a special day. It is the third anniversary of my dad’s passover to the infinite skies. This poem is my message to him and I know he will understand and smile! Yes, there are mutual jokes in it :)
Sorry friends, I’ve disabled comments for this one… n thank you all for respecting the need for silence between us.

The evil in me (a retourne)

too conscious to evolve am i

under his sly, scrutinous eyes

they survive on  eternal seduction

for him no bell tolls, for he no longer dies

under his sly, scrutinous eyes

i lay defeated in unholy highs

as Satan's spider twines and swings

an evil gossamer binds my wings

they survive on eternal seduction

his proverbial snake at the alter of suffocation

his action impromptu, my wrath undefined

i lay in chaos, my ideals crucified

for him no bell tolls, for he no longer dies

for all that is evil in my dark insides

is a manifestation of him, a hungry parasite

he is in me and i am his host entwined!

***

P.S: This was my first attempt at a retourne, inspired by Kartz!

Farewell to a Star...

*

with hope, you lit up our lives

with compassion, you touched our souls

every single day, in every passing moment

you taught us love and its inherent sacrifice

in the short time that you were here

*

we wonder why He called you there

it’s just too early, just not fair

may the Lord bless your soul

may you never cease to shine

on this crossover divine

*

P.S: Dedicated to Tina who is no more amongst us. Wish I could know you more, girl!

And when the golden sun was setting...

When the golden sun was setting…

amongst the countless rivers flowing

from the purity of thy bosom

there emerged a beautiful rose

the one that beholds, bewitches

but can prick without a spell

To be swept away, thorn and all

down deep valleys, trembling past

the currents crashing, nature’s fury

the rocks striking, nature’s jury?

alas! neither current nor rock

could break her spirit, as she glides by

Downstream she floats, now placid

across little hammocks, little pebbles

a bunch of kids are struck in awe

amidst the enchanting spell

she casts upon her beholders

Lazily she calms down, her strife was of yore

amidst the old hamlet’s tranquil pond

the water is turbid and quiet now

underneath it hid creatures, big and small

does each have a story

of its downstream journey?

Then arose a moon, which lit up the sky

captured by the pond as a billion stars shone by

she glances at her mirror, her resting place

and now it’s her turn to be enthralled

by nature’s tricks and plays!

For there lay on the surface,

an image so heavenly

they may call it a lotus,

a flower with a thousand petals

to be serenaded amongst the murk

to be worshipped with the gods

so, doth the name alter thy strife?

She closes off her petals and sinks for the night

to be awake, to rise and to shine

to welcome at the break of dawn

the golden sun that arises yet again.

to be called a lotus, o! so pure, so divine!

The Age of Innocence

jasmines adorned her soot hued hair

some dad’s little princess, wasn’t she?

a sari the pride of a cherry draped

carefree in cheap gold embroidery

faux gems serve to fill the void

a void ciphering into another

some mum’s dream come true alas

cat calls welcome her as she dares

to roam amongst the fortunate us

she is the queen of the streets

her strides, magnificent and bold

enchanting, enamoring, enticing

despite the weather so cold

‘if he were here, o if only he were here,

i would seldom walk one step more’

her thirst for love, an unfulfilled desire

her clothes are often torn apart

many a man has left his stench

but not one dares to steal her heart

‘won’t mum teach me to sew?

wont she come to purify –

the scents of sins stacked within?’

her eyes moisten reminiscing

the ghosts of an era bygone

yet she seeks a path; a fresh, raw path –

unexplored, holding promises galore

wiping her tears, she seeks to return;

a return to the Age of Innocence

‘dad, mum, where are you?

the hide n seek is past due

i wish no more to breathe

this stench of other’s sins

i want to smell the warmth

of the purest form of love

so, take me in your arms

as I end this wretched bond’,

so saying she ends her beat

**********

Untitled

strutting around, my placid plume,

the breeze sways along with me

a sashay escapes, timidity I presume

though ‘m brighter than thou today

can thee not fathom the depths

that lay within my core?

does it not give thee joy

that I am near my source?

thy heart, thy soul, the wise one’s told

was built brick by brick,

over setting suns and moons

yonder the mirage in the sand dunes.

then, does it not bleed if I am pricked,

or is it the cactus, now dearer to thou?

the warmth is no more,

it’s all a name game

who said thus, which is naught,

what is sin, which is not,

why the fuss and cry throughout?

why gift pain in lieu of love?

the heart is love , nay, nothing else

breathe and let go is nature’s plea

thou ruled by vanity, thy pride crushed

come, topple my inner castle

built with the grace of Almighty

come, trounce upon my plumes

if it doth make thee happy?

******

A Second Chance!

brushes dried up in solitude

dusty boards are idling by

fragile thoughts sway so often

i let sow; now i wonder why


the gates of gold shined through

in all their majestic glory

a thousand beams of hope lit up

but my dreams, alas i gave up


i gave in to the devil within

as temptation clawed me so

i knew the road was not for me

but the simplest as one could see


show me a way as soon as can be

to buy back my soul, my spirit, my being

o lord, do not take me as i am

but take me as you want me to be


in You, my dream was born,

around You, i made it dance

o please forgive, do not abandon me

as all i need is a second chance!

Eternal Quest

A mere speck of dust,
I imagine myself to be
A negligible fraction,
naive mathematicians foresee

Eternity, my inner form;
Cosmic, my divine state
I float forever in His grace;
in unceasing, constant debate

In exploit, in rhythm, I rise;
in silence, in void, I remain
One tiny grain of matter,
but mighty self in vain

I drift across thy chartered course,
In a chaotic hope to repay
The infinite debt of thy womb,
my reflection so to say

As in dark ocean depths,
hide secret desires so often
Every trifle of dust or spot of grain,
Longs an oyster to relieve from thy pain

To free, to reignite the ancestral shine
To create, to sow pearls of wisdom divine
Me, my essence and the eternal quest
Remains unanswered till the final test!

on the Wings of Prayer

Just close your eyes and Open your heart,

and feel your worries and cares depart

Just yield yourself to the Father above,

and let Him hold you secure in his love

For life on earth grows more involved

with endless problems that can’t be solved,

but God only asks us to do our best,

then He will ‘take over’ and finish the rest.

So when you are tired, discouraged and blue,

there’s always one door that is open to you,

and that is the door to ‘The House of Prayer’,

and you’ll find God waiting to meet you there.

And ‘The House of Prayer’ is no farther away,

than the quiet spot where you kneel and pray.

For the heart is the temple when God is there

as we place ourselves in His loving care.

And He hears every prayer and answers each one,

when we pray in His name ‘Thy will be done’.

And the burdens that seemed too heavy to bear

are lifted away on ‘The Wings of Prayer’.


I have carried this little poem with me right from school – so many changes, so many purses but this little piece of paper still remains with me! I don’t know its significance nor am I an expert in the power of faith healing, but reading this poem in times of solitude, grief or pure devotion, has only lifted me higher. Maybe, it does have some power after all. Today, on this beautiful occasion of Christmas, I share this simple yet powerful poem. Celebrating the birth of the holy Christ, may this poem help one and all.

A Fool's Paradise!

I chanced upon this path
Misfortune, some folks say!
I trusted his honest eyes
Betrayal at its best


Enticed by his promise,
the undying, undiminishing
togetherness to eternity
I muted 'The Voice Within'


Destiny, she drifts across
a new course, undecided
I bow in reverence to thee
my despair hasn't subsided


The Lord acts strange
The Lord acts wise
I am his li'l puppet
Happy in a fool's paradise!

Nameless..Faceless..

upon the grass i tread, as alone as the sun
fresh hues of green paint the countryside
and little drops of glittering wet diamonds
tease my naked feet, chill the fire within

specks of dust shining through the rays,
as guards protecting the celestial gates
the horror, the hurt, the throbbing pain
how do i beg thee for a wee bit of grace!

deep within were enflamed buried desires,
long lost and forgotten in mindless pursuit
i look more closely for signs of content,
but the carcasses lay, scattered eerily all over!

envious no more of the calm without
nameless, faceless pangs of guilt and doubt
i watch in silence, fearing to intrude
my conscience is eroded, self misconstrued!

My Dear Mumbai

She welcomes all
A warm embrace!
‘Gateway of India’
Her beauty ‘n grace!


Trusts her children
No matter the race
Balances unceasing greed
Never once doubts a deed!


Her heritage they destroy
Merciful heart is burnt
Their veil conceals, terror dictates
Sadly, no guts for a mutiny!


Wanders around her lone self;
Is love a contract or a bond?
If this be indeed gratitude,
Need it be paid thus?

This is my contribution to this week's 3WW (Three Word Wednesday). Help spread the fight against terror.

Betrayed

of what is and what isn't?
this i shall not ask,
of who did and who didn't
this too i shan't ask

they sweared on oath
they loved her most
and when she beckons-
would protect her post

she lay there still
betrayed and torn-
no voice to bring
alas, of her own!

while under siege
she held on hope,
the humbuggers all,
"look, who bears the oath!"

Jingle Bells..Jingle Bells!

dashing through the votes

’n a million tons of hope

O'er the hill he goes

fighting gravity all the way

bells of victory ring

making spirits bright

what fun it is to laugh and sing

a victory song tonight !

oh, jingle bells, jingle bells

jingle all the way

oh, what fun it is to be

in a new chapter in history

jingle bells, jingle bells

jingle all the way

oh, what fun it is to believe

nuances of change will be !

a day or two ago

i thought it impossible

’n soon Mr. Barack Obama

was seated at his throne

the foes were lean and lank

misfortune seemed their lot

they got into a drifted bank

’n then they got upsot

oh, jingle bells, jingle bells

jingle all the way

oh, what fun it is to be

the change you want to see

jingle bells, jingle bells

jingle all the way

oh, what fun it is to be

in a whole new democracy ! yeah

oh, jingle bells, jingle bells

jingle all the way

oh, what fun it is to be

the change you want to see

jingle bells, jingle bells

jingle all the way

oh, what fun it is to be

in a whole new democracy !

This is my response to 3WW, please check out more fun stuff , weaved out of only three words!

Real victims of war

Twilight sets in across the fields;

sweet are the smells of the daffodils

The skies, cast in a reddish hue,

beckon the little soul, albeit somewhat close

The little boy runs off to play;

steps on a mine, a device to kill and decay

His mother awaits with steaming rice

Her little angel would be home in a trice!

Little did she know, her angel would be no more

But as she sees the damage done

She screams out to the heavens above

Why do you spread the message of love?

O Why do you spread the message of love?

Clutching the corpse to her bosom,

And a knife deep inside her heart

In vain, she breathes unto him

this life, that she now longs to depart

She runs across the fields; she runs helter-skelter

What for is this war? Who will give me an answer?

But, no soul heeds to her cries, alas, no soul heeds to her cries..

Just then the heavens speak, "your child is safe in our arms,

protected from mankind, may you learn the lesson of love

pray, do not question the messages from above".

This is about the innocent victims of landmines, where most survivors are maimed for life. I couldn't bring myself to put up a picture as its too repulsive. This poem is in response to 3WW

An Ode to a Banyan tree

O Merciful ‘n’ kind banyan tree-

In thy shade thrive the Lord’s other beautiful beings

Thou welcomes the burning molten rays and,

Tranforms them into a mothers’ protective embrace!

Does it not ache thee, when thou arms are cut and bleeding?

When gratitude is forgotten, what difference does it make?

In our cunning and naivety, we often forget;

The more we cut, the more we burn and suffer.

This is my humble attempt at weaving a poem from 3 given words!! Please check out amazing write-ups at 3WW: Three Word Wednesday here.

Loss and longing

Often I wonder when I look up at the sky
The twinkling stars in the moonlit gaze
Are these the spirits of the loved ones gone by?

Thou, the creator of the dark, mystic alibi
Pray, tell me which star shineth the least
Pray, tell me which star dulls the most

And would thy sky be any less brighter,
Had thou let go of thus star?
For its precious to me, this little star

And if you would heed
To all thy children, every precious star
Would soon be given,

And I wonder who would look up at your dark alibi;
Who would long to see the once twinkling sky?
For these little stars are more precious

And if truth be told, it would be all dark and scary
So thy alibi would take all our precious spirits
And put them back as stars into thy sky!