Author: anilg

mera kya kahun
yeh hi kaafi nahin
ki thoda hans leta hun
apni bebasi par
bina shikayat,
thoda ruk kar
ek mandir ke saamney
chandan thoda ghis leta hun
phir kiskey maathey par lagaun
kya farak padta hai
har dard ko
apni bahon mein
aur jor se
thoda jakad leta hun

-journey of devotion

when i started

to walk

i did not know

hor far will i be able to come

without losing your aroma

it took me long

to realize that your smell

in my breaths is a promise

you extract from every devotee

how else you so generously

grant the wishes of seekers

of truth, compassion and love

all journeys begin with you

but why do not they end with you too

while wrapping you

with a thread

i strteched it too hard

i was trying to be frugal

i lost the end

today when you shiver in cold

i do not know

whether to ask you

to shrink

or let me stretch the thread

may be sit on the steps
of a temple
and be quiet
who knows which whiff  of the air
may bring old sweet smiles
talks and the murmurs of hers
back in front of your eyes
before the mundainities take over
and suppress
the bud of hopeful
smile
that  would spring now
may be not
from the debris of desires
that she left unfulfilled

will u bear with cold tonight

or just wither away

shrivel

and withdraw

your spirit

and then die

i can cover you

with a shawl

kashmiri shawl

ensure that your leaves do not fall

but then every one who passes by will know

i tried to hide but
and could not  restrain

had to ultimately show

the whims of wasps

taht go close to light

and then do not ever come back

ek subah ab aur intzaar kaise karey
kisee ki yaad ka aitbaar kaise karey
tum yadi mujhko yeh saza do, to hai manjoor
lekin kisee aur ke hathon jahar sweekar koi kaisey
karey

mujhey bharosa hai tum par, yahi to meri kamjori hai
koi maney ya na maney, lekin gunhaon ka karobar koi
kasiey karey
mainey diya tha diye mein, apni aahon ka tel
lekin baati jab chuk jaye to andherey se pyar koi
kaisey karey

Tulsi 12

Look, do not ask

Why the tired gate

Of hers indicates the

Story of past

When she traveled long distance

To reach the lighthouse

Only to learn that the ship had changed its course

Now the ship has anchored in her

Preferred yard

The leaves of yours need to be spread

All around

To announce that

She has boarded her ship

And waves have taken her in their arms

Taking care to comfort her

When in the mid sea

Waves are mindlessly searching the

Remnants of shore

As if

You will keep

The imprint of the seed

From which you grew

On every branch

Tulsi 11

The storm was strong

Uprooting many trees

And laying the foundation

Of a uncovered breach

In the heart of a bridge

That connected the world here

And there,

I still come to you

To  pour water at sun rise

And pray,

Will the stains of my sins

Be washed by the dew

That your leaves collected

Today morning

Will they remain

As testimony of my marriage

With the memories

Of your flowers

Enchanting all the bees

Including the ones

Which chose the altar of my temple

For crafting the comb

Tulsi 10

shall I put some leaves

In the charanamrat

That the priest will offer

When I will pass away

Soon

From this world

Unsung and quietly

The body will take time

To be dissolved but the spirit is ready

To escape

Into the jungle of divine

Light

And the bushes

Of basil

Do not ask me to tell

Why am I so still

Tulsi 9

You scatter your seeds

So generously

Around

Ask me if I find peace

Under your shade

And like a small squirrel

I just raise my head

Look around

Smile and rush to pick some

Seeds and take

These to my burrow

For the day

When there will be barbed wire around you

After all the time is changing

And squirrels are not granted

The right to move around

In the garden of graceful flowers

All willing to shed their seeds

If only the gardener will listen

And let the gates be open

Now

And for ever