curiosity, concern, compassion and collaboration
when meanings are lost in dust
you have to still walk along unhindered
intentions can not be seen
but consquences can be
actions permeate all boundaries of beliefs
i wish they would see your innocense
burried under years of compromises
as reflected ray of light,
but when diamonds are broken,
how will they be faithful to reflect
the light from your lamp
no matter how much of incense stick you burn
when the stirrings of soul
mean not very much
what does one do,
hang an empty lamp without oil
or filament
or collect all the dry twigs
not many are around
given the drought this year
so i decide to display a board
on which you can write your address
so that the leftover envelops are sent to you
u can keep the letters inside and send to whoever you wish
this fire in a cold wintry night
by the people on the roadside
did not leave much to say
the joy and fears were all intertwined
who had known the the warmth of dry hay
wound in the ropes of some prayers, very kind
when you keep windows open
you see bird flying
but then donot bemoan if the birds fly away
and dont perch on window sills
that is not why you open windows
do the streams of rivers emanating
from mountains covered still with snow
flow down the valley
and quench the thirst of fields
set slightly higher
than its banks
but how will some one lift the water
when you are still uncertain
to flow or not
through this drought affected valley
kaali! are you still looking for an offering
but i told you so many times
that i dont offer gifts
it is as if an adjective takes away
some thing deep from a noun
gifts may lower the value i attach to my devotion
but then it seems
that is not how you think
else, why this hesitation,
why this delay,
why this sullen look
may be
i should pray harder
and look with in me
when a babbler behaves the same way
and a squirrel does not devite
from script too much either
why does myna stroll alone, afar
looking for insects in grass
greened by a small splash of rain
drought had taken a toll otherwise
of the ambitions of grasses in my lawn
to make your feet clam and smooth
but now how do i persuade those blades
which are rough, and not willing to lie down
like you, when you are upset and are upright
sneha nahin hota itna seedha sa ek upakram
kiski badha ban jayey radha, kaise jaaney ham?
kaun usko yaad karey, kaun uska janmdiwas manayey
radha to thi krishna ki poorak, uska parv kaun manaey
kisney radha ki vedana jaani, kisney usko pooja akela
kyun nahi ho saka krishna uska poorak, kyun nibhaye ham chhal uskey
let me clean the step of the temple again
she says, i will have to come back here again
because prayers once offered have a habit
of calling the devotees to their doorstep again
is that why Kali, why you never spare any one,
those who adore you and love you
and those who have learned their lesson
but can one really love, learn and still live
bas swaron ki sarita mein
baha dey chintaon ko chalo aaj
mat karo kisee jawab ka intzaar
nahin ayega yeh rahi apni aadat se baaz
yuhin hi nahin dhoa hai isney itna bhoj
hkya pata kab ho jayey isko bas itna hi bodh
jindagi rahegi tabhi to ho payega safar jaari,
kar payega koi anwarat apni deewanagi bhari shodh