Stains

Don't we love

Our bright white shirt

And then there is that stain

The yellow curry

He tried to feed 

The tea that trickled

When the hand shivered

The mud that splashed

On the rainy night

The salty tears

She cried at the shoulder 

The lipstick smudge

During the hasty kiss

The bright white shirt

With all those stains

Isn't bright anymore

Nor is it white

The story of our lives

Filling empty spaces....

I am the light!

The virtue of being lit

enthralls the dark

But being lit

is being burnt 

And while my shadow

is what I dwell in

You see the light

The flame is sapping 

the life force

Soon the burning will cease

Soon the shroud

of cool dark shadows 

will drown the pain of burning

Should there be no virtue

in the ease and comfort of darkness

For things to lie low

and not grow

But then what's the purpose of me

While I burn

I make your shadows

dance on the wall

I burn

Not because I am lit

I burn

Because I am the light!

देखो बादलों का दिल टूट रहा है!

देखो बादलों का दिल टूट रहा है

कोई बंदिशों से लड़ रहा है

कोई बंधन संजो रहा है

पर रेत गीली होती है

तो बह जाती है

और मिट्टी समन्दर को भी कैद कर लेती है

दिल में जो उमड़ रही है

वो हसरत है

छलक कर बहती है तो आँसू हैं

सिमट कर रहती है तो आह है

कोई बिलख के सो जाता है

कोई सिसक के सहम जाता है

आसमान की पेशानी पे

उसके नूर का इंतज़ार है

जो कशमकश की सिलवटे

सहला के बिठा दे

किसी को जगाना है

किसी ने दूर जाना है।

The Woman

I have been here Forever

Surviving as we all do

I am not always perfect

I strive to be

I am not always strong

I try to be

I don't mean to be put on pedestal

I don't need to be worshipped 

I need you

As much as you need me

I am a human

You call me a woman

The apple pie

Here

Smell the apple pie

Warm like the sunshine

Soft like the mother's hug

Sweet like the lover's kiss

The whiffs of cinnamon

Resonating the familiarity 

Of woods and hearth

That's what you are to me

Home to my solitary soul!

Disillusionment

The mask falls

and I see you

Scared

Tired 

Ready to flee

to the familiar bubble of your existence 

And the clock strikes

One 

Two

Three

Were you even awake

when I knocked at your door

Were you listening 

when I blew my trumpet 

And the mask falls

I see you

Eyes shut tightly

The image of a prey

facing the predator 

Whimpering

In fear and agony

I can't coax you

to open your eyes

I can't make you believe

what you fear

is what sets you free

The feeling is percolating through me

Freezing my innards

I am afraid

I will pull the mask back on

The illusions you say

Are necessary 

The illusions

give your mask a purpose

The illusions are the status quo

The world seeks of you

Till the next ice age!

What should I be?

I was always more than anticipated 

Beyond expected

And a lot awaited

I was rain in summer

Heat in winter

Sunshine in dark

The balm on abraided skin

Reflected across waters

Of rising tides 

In dreary lands

I flew with the birds

And dove with the dolphins 

But that was then

When you were there 

To show me the mirror

In your benevolent eyes

When I grew wings

Because you saw me fly

When I learnt to swim

Because you desired my salty moist skin

I no more know

What I should be

When you are not here!