TUM

Chhoo loon tumhe, sirf tumhaare haathon ko hi,
Tab bhi
Ye raftaar o jumbish jo tumhaare lahu main hai
Meri thehri nabz mein shayad kahin se aa jaaye

Ha.ns loo.n tumhaari tarah khilkhila kar to,
Ye gulabi sharm jo tumhaare rukhsaar pe damakti hai
Mere chehre ki kagazi safedi par
Apna halka sa rang phaila jaaye

Ye zindagi jo tumhaari abru ke beech, lakeeron par
Naaz o aaraam se baithi dikhti hai
Ji bhar ke dekhoon tumhe to
Aankhon ko na sahi
Mere ashko.n ko to ghar bana jaaye

Kyon itni khoobsoorat ho tum
Kyo.n tum se nigaah nahi hat-ti meri
Chalo theek bhi hai
Tumhaara husn, kuch nahi to,
Mere dil ki thandi raakh mein
Koi rashk ka shola hi jaga jaaye

(An ode to the beautiful women of Rajasthan...)

Pliant
Through destined turns
Succumbing, flowing along
These shallow brooks
Perhaps
Sing of life, a deeper song...

NUMB

Amidst a flurry of thoughts
Sometimes
Numbness feels so close

In windy deserts
Some days
Only stillness blows

Through gushing rivers
Somewhere
A transparent silence flows

LAL DEEWAREI.N

(A poem inspired by Mughal Architecture in Delhi & Agra.
Some pictures of the same here)

Maazi ka madham taraana koi
Bhoola bisra zamaana koi
Kaheen parchhaiyee, kahee.n sargoshi
Kuch izhaar, kuch khamoshi
Dard, khalish, bam, dhamaake
Raqs, teohar, khushi, patakhe
Buland Minaro.n ki zubaani
Khule darwaazo.n ki band kahaani

Dil soz daastaa.n apni sunayei.n
Ye thandi deewarein, ye thehre saaye

Sone si subho.n ka bayaa.n hai
Zikr-e-naseem-e-seher yahaa.n hai
Shaahi gusal, sekdo.n phawware
Aab-e-gulaab mein bheege nazaare
Saaye sametne ki tayyaari bhi
Halke nishaa.n hai, bhaari bhi

Dil soz daastaa.n apni sunayei.n
Ye thandi deewarein, ye thehre saaye

Garm dopeher mein tapte fasaane
Pedo.n ki chhaao.n mein soye zamaane
Thami hawa mein koi raaz si sar sar
Thandi aaho.n sa sang-e-mar mar
Thak ke dhoop ka shaakho.n par tikna
Kirno.n se aayatei.n likhna

Dil soz daastaa.n apni sunayei.n
Ye thandi deewarein, ye thehre saaye

Rangeen aanchalo.n mein shaam ka aana
Doobte suraj se shamme jalaana
Aazaan par nehro.n ka raqs
Wuzoo karta shammo.n ka aqs
Meena baazaar roshan roshan
Jhumka, paazeb, itr, kangan

Dil soz daastaa.n apni sunayei.n
Ye thandi deewarein, ye thehre saaye

In lal deewaro.n ke zakhm hare hain
Khamosh daamano.n mei.n raaz dhare hai.n
Gard mein lipte jahaa.n yahaa.n par
Bujhte kadmon ke nishaa.n yahaa.n par
Saalo.n saal, hazaaro.n kisse
Itihaas ke nazuk, toote hisse
Kitni gutthiyaa.n kholti hai.n
Tum suno, to ye bhi bolti hai.n

Dil soz daastaa.n apni sunayei.n
Ye thandi deewarein, ye thehre saaye

Oft in distant cries, I hear,
Whispers of a closer pain
As in the scream of thunder, echo
Soft, beating drops of rain

Music And Wings

In their flight let there be music
&
In my music let there be flight...

The Child By The Window

A dusty sun settles on leaves
Weighs them down
They droop
Gold droplets of melting light
Fall into her waiting hands
Warm soft light floats in her palms
She washes her eyes with them
Her eyes glisten
In the fading twilight

These lamps will ease the way
Through the tunnels of my night