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
curiosity, concern, compassion and collaboration
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
bereft of any doubt
the sielnce had broken a promise
what was not supposed to be said
had been said
the broken bridge had been
relaid
now, you can cross over to the other side
sow seeds, tend the garden
if you need, you can manure the soil
that remains to be tilled
it will bloom, i have no doubt
when will you recall
the promises made before the mazar of a saint
to engulf all the memories
with a shawl of silence
no matter how much does the
crying child
of a bright lit night demands attention
jindagi gujar kahan rahi hai, yah to thahar si gayi hai is shahar mein baarish kuchh kahar si padhi hai beh gayey hai ghar kuchh, mit gayi hai shaksiyateyn lekin ek arzoo milney ki mitati nahin hai, aakhir kaunsi mitti ki bani hai kis kumhar ne ghadi hai kahin to darar hogi, pani ke risney ki kabhi to pukar hogi ghul jao jao ghul jao mujhey abhi yahi thaharna hai, jindagi ki jid ke aagey thoda adna hai kya pata kab shaam ho jayey main thak jaun aur raat ko yeh guman ho jayey aaj to koi thaka hai kisee aaram ki talaash mein jaga hai chalo usko sula dey thoda chain usko bhi chakha dey