ANTI Depressants

Don’t go on about the pills
White and yellow and pink
If you tell me, I will swallow it too
But can you promise
I will not have that nightmare
As if I am about to sink?

I don’t want your Fluoxytine
Or an alprazolam,
I can also do without the comfort
of having it with my health drink
Glad it’s now available
Also in the liquid form
But I don’t want it anyway
Doesn’t matter,
for what you offer a milligram!

Please spare me your idea of a good lifestyle
And stop harping on ‘anxiety’ and ‘stress’
I already know your niche -
Your ability to underline problems in red.

Don’t go on about your Fluoxytine
And I will calmly stand in
As you look at my ‘modern disease’
With traditional horror!
I will bear your axe on my ‘modern lifestyle’
And take away your long prescription of ‘modern medicines’.

Please spare me the theories and experiments
I want only peace and truthful lies
I can’t take the burden of facts and figures.
I just want to hear - it’ll all be fine!
Insomniac scientists found the great sedative
All I care for are dreamy lullabies.

You don’t tell me about the merits of counselling
And I will save you the embarrassment of seeing me cry
I will not tell you how badly I want to hold on
You don’t tell me about wonder drugs
And I will forget to tell you,
How just a tight hug can make me smile!
I will not whisper how much I want to talk
I have so much to share…
Yet, I have not much to tell,
I know not any reason to blame.

These 200 interviews staring blank
Makes us lay our work plans
Running in shifts of days and nights
Things are born in black and white
Are these words or sand dunes?
Remind me,
Why we salute the pen for it’s might?

Is it a sin to be tired so soon?
To want to rest for a while?
I really only need pillow for now
And the lights out
- just for a while!

In Jaisalmer

Don’t look at me with such disdain!
I know you are right.
There is beauty in every corner.
Yet, I feel a pain -
An ache that can’t tell my plight!

Smitten by the promise
I came afar.
I didn’t question;
I didn’t pry;
I didn’t even want to know the lefts and rights.
Here I am,
Looking up,
As there stands in grandeur -
The work of art, of Jaisalmer.

It’s a fortress,
Not a palace for the queens!
But I was happy with it pillars
Only, it’s not golden!
You didn’t add to the indifference I felt,
It only added to my indifferent self.

Don’t look at me with such disdain.
You can share my agony too,
Give me the comfort
Of being not the only one!
In humble exploration
I did often yield…
Teased with your words,
Looking away from the scrabble score-sheet.
I called you subtle, I called you aloud
But in my golden fields, you had your doubt.

May be you came into my life
Only to tell,
The road to Jaisalmer is beautiful.
Yes! You took me through the Melas
The gorgeous day went in dance and songs!
Yes, You took me through the Melas!

In the coming days
I will be the gorgeous damsel
Making my journey in song and dance
Looking for my Jaisalmer, in another town.

soulmates

It’s a perfect union
Of two imperfect souls
In the most passionate love
There’s peace untold

Two imperfect bodies
Bonded perfectly
Swaying with unmatched eloquence
We looked into the eye
Thus, was born a ‘we’.

haqeeqat

Zindagi ki haqeeqat mein khoye the
Aaj zingadi ki haqeeqat mein zindagi se mile
Yeh zalim duniya hi sahi
Iss duniya mein pyar to hai
Sapne tute bhi sahi
Khwab to haqeeqat hi hai

tomar chokhe

Aami tomar chokhe
Chokh mele chai onek dure.
Alpo kicchu dekhar aage e
Ek prithibi bheshe aashe noyon mude.

Kothar aanka-baanka chotto kole,
Matha rekhe, aaj monta ode
Aakash bhora baatash jeno
Ei hridi te ghurni tole.

Ay mon mane na-
Na na !– ee mon jane ee na!
Ee mon jane na, jane na
Koto tumi kacher manush.
Tai shudhu din ba raate
Ekti kotha-ee bhabte boshe -
Keno sedin hothat kore
Chokhe chilo bonya beshe.

Keno buke majhe majhe
Abhimaane byatha laage?
Abaar sedin shuye shuye,
Jokhon jawar kotha
Ghumer mashi-pishir kache,
Ki kore bojhai je hai
Kemon jeno byatha jage.

Dena pawnar modhye jeno
Hisab ulot palot ayekhon!
Shudhu jaani,
Aaj chhotto kothar mulyo onek
Jawar majhe phire aasha-tai
Ayekhon aamar chokher moni.

One Fine Day

One fine day
I just stepped outside
It was a fresh new day
With stars in my eyes,
I went out for the sky

It’s never too late
- I’m told
But it has to be just now,
Right away, I know

Stars in my eyes
They want their sky
The desires in me
Has solemn resolute
Every single obstacle they'll defy!

There’re whispers about maiden roads
There were bright chandelier
At every left and right
There is a mysterious granduer

The mystery looks not puzzling though
The spells have no hypnotising role,
I keep walking still
Even when I stop, I wander still.

As I passed under a lamp so bright
Calling out, asking undenied
“Don’t you like all the glaze?
Why not stay!” It cried!

I smiled and said,
I love you so!
Yet it’s the ‘why’ in the ‘why not’,
That will let the magic flow.

I am heading out
For a spark, there is!
A spark that makes me
The wings of flame!

With stars in my eyes,
I am looking for the sky...

zara

Ayy haal e dil yun daastan na sunna
Ayy dhaadkan yun mujhda na beetha
Humme kal tak ki mahulat de de
Yun logon ki nazron ka nishana na bana

Herr lamhon ka hisab chukayenge
Herr khwahish pe jaan nisarenge
bhatak ne ka ilzam ser pe
manzil ka pata bhi na mila

kitabon ke panno mein mera naam na likh
ayy zalim yun bejaan si uljhan mein na fasa
dil pe dastak de, phir chahe dil hi tute to kya

yun takalluff se tabasum khili hai
yun hasraton se chain o khuma hai
chahat ke galiyon mein bhatke huye raste
kissi ashique ko meri kahani na bata

there..

we miss the line , we are so focussed on the words
we miss the charm, we are so focussed on the spell
I don’t want to lose your touches,
I don’t want to be lost while in search
your finger tips, your lips and eyes
should keep the oblivion deep inside

Choices

And who said I am strong??
And who says what is strength??
Yes! These are tears rolling down!
Don't worry -
Their journey will end too,
they’ll dry up as well.

And you,
Stop!
Stop, if you want to comfort
- with words of remorse
Stop!
Stop, if you regret on my behalf.
Come!
Come, if you want to shed a tear as well
Come!
Come, if you want to trek a path.
Come, if you can dance in mirth,
- but isn't taken by it
- come, come, come!

And you too! Sshhh!!!
I don't need to hear about age and wisdom,
I can do without traditional safe kiosks.
Yes, I bleed, and vision not all firm -
But what have you found?
For, happiness is not the lack of wounds,
for, it is caressing the hurt.
For, I know my soul is wiser than thou -
I am learning from it,
And these lessons, an art!

Steep

i could walk ahead without looking back
i could step back without losing ground
and yet...
there were glitters on the road
i stopped to see
there were yearning pulses
i often skipped by
and yet...
there were words I learnt
but suddenly, phases forgot
there were more destinations laid -
the journey curtailed

and yet...
let go let go
let go and move on
i heard over and over
i was puzzled,
should i walk run or hop
i don't know when i had stopped

looks like the endless battle is now over
the storm is humming winds
i saw the river ripple my face
and yet ...
i just sailed along

they’re painting images with identities
i am bound by several words
and yet...
i can walk ahead without looking back
i can step back without losing ground

bas yunhi

Meri zindagi tujhe mein apni kasam deti hun
Bas herr mod pe yun jeene ki aarzo na jagah
Herr tamanna ke bikherne pe
Thoda sa tu hi to marta hai

filhaal

Filhaal,
Mazi se mausiki hai,
Per kal ke pal mein
mohabbat ki khushboo si hai
Baharon se huyi guftgu
to sunne mein aaya -
Aaj gul ko fiza ki zustaju si hai
Kyon ke fiza ko aaj tera intezaar hai.
Wafa-bewafa ke jugalbandi ne
paigam yeh seecha hai,
ke tu nahi
to na wafa, na bewafa, ka alam hai,
Bas, tu aa jaye,
to teri hukumat pe wafa hogi
aur phir bewafa bhi dur kahan hai