Introspect- Vedika Gupta

Like in a field of roses,

The scent filling up your lungs,

Hair flowing in the breeze,

The sense of freedom that you feel.

The over flooding happiness,

Not being held back in the darkness,

Unaffected by the past,

Just letting go and finally embracing yourself,

It feels wonderful at last.

The grass tickles you,

As you run through the field,

The breeze soothes you,

As it carries your laughter.

It sounds different, indeed,

But it's not for anyone else to please.

Past mistakes don't affect you,

You rarely think about them any more.

The future excites you,

As you can't wait to see what it holds.

A never wavering smile spreads across your face,

One which is genuine and not so seldom now.

The glow on your countenance,

The blush on your cheeks,

The bliss in your eyes,

The intoxicating joy that you feel,

When you realise that you didn't lose,

You're regaining your confidence,

And it's visible to all that despite everything,

You're growing into someone new,

But that's a person you've learned to love.

Once you've evolved,

And learned from your mistakes,

You come out stronger than before.

You've seen the bad and have dealt with it.

You've seen the worst and have come out of it.

You've become someone else,

And you're proud of it.

In all,

You've become You.

Legacies - Munaza Naseer

Me and my sister

Our parts make a jigsaw

She's more like my father

While I look for something common

And see only a shared name

But we both have business in our blood

There's parts, there's fractions

Of a legacy built through two generations

She has his way with people

She has his work ethic

I have his ideas, his precision

Between the two of us we carry him

We carry his warmth just like

we carry his frost

She gets this selfless part from him

that I could never be

I just hope it serves her better

Like him she loves too much

Like with him it doesn't end well

I have my father's mood

Changing hues like flipping through

A child's playbook

I have his habit of detachment

His need for order.

Like him I'm blind to everything but the flaws

My sister blind to everything but the light

We're always extremes and never midway

We both share his anxious mind

His racing heart

We're both hot rage in our own ways

We're both impulsive decisions

And broken relations

There's not much you can do about legacies

They show up in desperate ways

They have a need for belonging

A thirst for holding on

And the only way you find balance is

Being the glue and putting together the jigsaw

The only way you live is

Hoping, against reason, the picture

doesn't turn out ugly

The Astronaut- Shambhavi Maheshwari

The moon is my true love.

My friends tell me they worship a god,

but my goddess is speckled with craters,

her existence fleeting,

her femininity ethereal,

and she teaches me

that the only constant in life is change.

I wonder if the waves follow

her darkness or her brightness,

throbbing up and down

like a heartbeat struggling to survive

Or a flower simply blooming

towards the warmth.

She lifts the waters with a little touch.

I’m not sure if I should

follow her light or darkness.

I find peace in the night,

but it’s her face that leads me home.

I believe it is both of them,

her delicate brightness against

the starless night that enthrals me.

They make me feel

as though my existence depends

on her soul and that

my heart is beating towards her.

The Era- Tabinda Naiyer

This era shackled into lies and forgery

seized into the whims and fancies of the aristocracy.

The youth meanders obeying the diabolical whispers.

What an age of society, the learned look and ponder?

This era of the people who bleat and bray

masters of men, they watch the play.

The eyes bear testimony yet the brain defies,

the tepid heart slumbers left high and dry.

What an age of the nation, the learned cry.

This era where the righteous lie in graves

and the guilty are saved

where mothers are seen no more

cradling an offspring is just a sore!

while the twos are seen in fours.

What an age of the humanity, the learned mourns.

Look here, look there

Every screen you swipe there is a blabbering ‘guru’,

flock of ignorant is what you will see through.

Everyone is an author and anyone can be a poet

Ink and pages are affordable, you know it.

Knowledge is priceless and wisdom is not cheap,

‘Books of Learned Men’ lay in dustheap.

This dwelling has brought a disaster why no seismograph could detect?

not a war of nature but a war of intellect.

What an age of all the ages that came and passed by

accursed is the one where our lives lie.

The seeds are sown as the sapling has peeped out,

all they wait is the ‘forbidden fruit’ to be reaped out.

What an age of the mankind, what a day

the catastrophic ‘fruit’ will bring their dismay.

The learned men grieve as they weep

prepared to depart for their celestial sleep.

To what has come

Must not leave yet

For a utopia is yet to create.

The phase - Jijnyasa Routray

Who cared about bills

we were too busy watching cartoons.

Who cared about grades

we were too busy zoning out.

Look how times have changed

I miss the peaceful sleep,

head's too heavy carrying

the stress.

Not caring about what people said

to a people pleasure,

just trying to fit in the crowd.

Crying on the slightest pain

to hiding deep injuries'

'No one should see the other side.'

Not being judged for anything

to thinking before a move

those care free days were

something we forgot to cherish.

Nothing can change'

but I wish to dream

of childhood once before

I die.

Counting my days to end,

I opened the album

the nostalgia strikes hard

I fell in love with

the kid that had died

inside me a long time ago.

I closed my eyes thinking

the child in me needs

a rebirth.

Moon and Stars- Amisha Nath

The darkness started to take over the orange sky as the sun set.

The stars start to appear one by one, just like glitter.

The sky looked like a dark palette dusted with silver fairy dust.

Oh look, here comes the moon to steal the beauty of the stars.

Look at him trying to be innocent as he takes everybody's attention.

The stars look at him with anger as they shimmer.

Poor little glitters make the moon shiver.

I think they are having a conversation.

I wonder what they talk about. Maybe about the sun?

"Hey moon, look at the girl admiring us," said one of the stars.

"Her eyes shine so much as she looks at us," the moon replied with a chuckle.

"She calls us beautiful; isn't she precious?" Another star said

"I hope she knows how pretty she herself is," said the moon, spreading his moonlight.

I looked at them as the gentle moonlight touched my skin.

"Look at you, how gorgeous you make the earth look", I said to them, hoping they heard me.

The stars chuckle at my silliness, and the moon then speaks, "I wanted to make you shine, my love, but here you are praising me."

Unaware of his words, I just smile at him.

Oh, how I want to be next to him, I thought to myself, closing my eyes.

Unaware that the moon hugged me that night.

Jab guzarte hain hum un nazaron se- Aabha Mishra

Jab guzarte hain hum un nazaron se jahan,

Hum tum guzaarte they waqt kabhi

Ruk jaati hain nigaahein wahi,

Tham jaate hain kadam wahi,

Shuru hota hain yaadon ka silsila,

Le jata hain humein fir se wahan

Jahan miley they humaare dil kabhi

Raaho mein sunaayee deti hain,

Ab bhi,Tumhare kadmo ki aahat

Hawa mein lehraati hain

Wahi roohani khushbu teri

Is zindagi mein ,ab bhi

Mehsoos hoti hain teri kami

Jab guzarte hain hum

Un nazaaron se jahan

Hum tum guzaarte they

Waqt kabhi

असल जिंदगी - Priya Kumari

अपने बदलते हैं

सपने कुचलते हैं,

बेईमान इस दुनियां में

रोज नए रिश्ते बिखरते हैं,

हर वक्त टूटा करते हैं

हर मोड़ पर सहमा करते हैं,

यही है असल जिंदगी

जहां हर रोज जिस्म जलते हैं

चुभन सी हैं यादें

घुटन सी हैं बाते,

बेखौफ होकर

हर रोज खौफ से उलझते हैं,

कदर नही जज्बातों की यहां

ये बाते जो सिर्फ कीमत की करते हैं

दहाड़ सी गूंजा करती हैं

ये गलियां नशे में डूबी रहती हैं,

खुद को शरीफ कहती हैं ये हवाएं

जो हर रोज बहका करती हैं

शोर में यहां हर शख्स रमा हैं

ना जाने कितने दिन ये खामोशी से ढला हैं।

Broken Nerves -Saumya Tripathi

Watching through the window,

I was staring at the night.

Lying on my bed,

without blinking my eyes.

Too much to say, too much to handle

though silence was my only choice.

Tears keep flowing,

without making any noise.

I was chained by my own thoughts,

slowly falling apart.

Soul filled with suffocation,

was holding an aching heart.

Too frozen to feel,

yet a fire was burning inside.

Fighting with my demons,

I was numb all night.

I was helpless, I had no choice.

Breathing in the mess,

I was waiting for the sun to rise.

Phase of life- Zikra Rahman

Holding grudges deep within,

strengthen my shield, ready to begin.

Clutching onto life's firm grasp,

In weakness or strength, i stand as a warrior, resolute and steadfast.

On the vast mountain, poised to descend, challenges await, my grief and past to contend.

Uncertain if my strength will endure,

yet my mind urges forward,my heart rhythm pure.

Facing obstacles with unwavering might, conquering the path that appeared daunting, now in sight.

Life, a game with choices to make.

Play and lose, or surrender, a high stake.

Yet I gather myself, pressing ahead.

Embracing peace, finding solace in bed.

Harmony restored, tensions release

In this newfound calm, all strife finds its cease.

Daughter Of India- ANUPAMA KT

Raped, bleeding, left to die

I lay on the busy street

My soul in between heaven and earth

Paralysed from head to feet.

I saw a kind passerby

I groaned for help slowly

On seeing my plight he took a flight

I was a police case you see.

Then more and more onlookers came

Pitying me my plight

And reasons arose as to why I was raped

Perhaps I'd dressed not right.

Then finally a Samaritan came

Enquiring my whereabouts to assist

He lifted my head and gave me a sip

I was too exhausted to resist.

My body ached in million ways

But now I was all numb

The blood drained out from myriad

paths

A living corpse I'd become.

He gathered some more people

Who placed me in a van, distraught

Within me, I somehow knew

My life on earth was short.

I told my soul to leave not yet

My mission till dispense

Ere they came the policemen

For statement and evidence.

Barely responsive, holding on

I told them how they looked

The police sketched and then began

A search to get them booked.

The news now spread like wildfire

My brethren shaken to core

They banded in mutual outrage

Showing solidarity galore.

The perpetrators promptly nabbed

I made my dying request

That justice be on fast track mode

To judge them before inquest.

All violence on the vulnerable class

Must once and for all end

The judges passed the strictest law

'THE CULPRITS TO THE MOB SEND'.

Barren Land- Beauty Kena

She, sat by the window

Threads of pink and blue strewn across the table

Drooping, pooling around her feet

Her eyes sees a distant meadow covered with beautiful spring blooms

She smiles, her eyes glimmers, a sense of hope arise

Her urge to reach the meadow grows

longing to caress the new born flower spills

But to her dismay, what she saw was just a mirage

Back to reality, she remembers

That within her, there is nothing but eternal winter

A womb that won't breathe life

A womb where no seed will take root

Truth, that cannot be undone

Now she weeps

Melancholic cloud hovers over her as she grasps for air

Dragging along any hope of a child bearing

Her face

Her likeness

Her truth, causing pain acute

What remains she thinks

Either to tend the barren land

Overlooking the sea of emptiness

Or

Tend to her man

For the eternal winter have made the man distant

He craves to leave the winter to forage

For a land that is fertile

For a blood that is his own

For a life that will continue the legacy his ancestors bore

The art of detachment - Shilpa Dwivedi

I practice detachment

Like the art of killing

Slowly, mercilessly, ruthlessly

I bring my havoc

Upon your soul first

And question your worth

On the Earth

Oh no, I don't curse you

Or immerse you

In the plunges of my hatred

Oh no, I don't ditch you

Or back bitch you

In my world, so sacred

I gradually let you seep

In the deep sleep

Of my conscious

Then subconscious

Then unconscious mind

I stab you a thousand times

By being to you, kind

All your cries fall

Dead upon my ears

As I let you, at once

Pass upon my fears

I poison you first

In my ideas

Then I kill you in my nerves

Then I kill you in my muscles

Then I kill you in my actions

Then I kill you in my face

Then I kill you in my smile

Then I kill you in my heart

Then I kill you in my eyes

Until you are numb

Into my surmise

I burn you into ashes

Until you succumb

To your injuries in me

Finally,

I don't let you

Encounter death

In the hell of my place

I give you heaven outside me

And in me, a rest in peace space

Spritual Illumination- Riya Rohilla

I was dancing on the terrace on the beats of oud ,

Feeling high, smiling wide then, tears come out of blue.

First I thought It was crazy but truth blown my mind,

You are crying through my eyes

And I'm smiling by your eyes.

I can feel your pain ,

I hope you can feel mine.

Time and distance is illusion ,

You are already mine .

I thought to tell this happy feeling to someone else ,

They said it's your bubble world, here's your reality check .

We wish you'll find someone just like your dreams,

but don't you think so it is too childish .

Their words tramped all over my bubble world ,

I see shattering it's pieces all over the floor.

So I finally decided to close my door ,

Cuse I was too much magical for this logical world.

I was crying by holding peaces of my bubble world ,

Thought I could never ever ever be recovered .

But thanks to god that he made me optimistic,

I keep going with my faith in his magic tricks .

The day came when he finally came ,

He hold my hand took me on the path to the heaven .

There I foremost meet his lovely messengers,

They were none another than my fav. Taro readers .

They've ve exploded my brain with synchronization,

They re ignite the flame of magic into my heart .

I walk ahed and found Archangel Gabriel there,

He came closer and gave me 5 boxes , I stare .

I opened it and found it's MUSIC ,

which took me to another level of spirituality .

These two gifts gave words to my revire ,

I was soo happy because I get to know alot about me.

One was speaking and other singing out my soul,

For the first time in forever I felt I am understood by someone .

I was literally flying all over the moon ,

Then God opend the gate of my childhood wounds .

I was crying out my heart , feeling pain in my nevers ,

Feeling soo skeptical about my caliber .

God said this holding me tight into his arms ,

I'm with you my child no matter how hard the path .

So I finally decided to step into the gate ,

Coz I know my God is there no matter how much it pains.

One by one all the layers came to the my surface ,

And I found my self in the state of emotional breakage .

As I've already shut the doors for logical beings,

so the one who left to talk is Only me .

So I've started talking and writing all my pain ,

Confronting each emotions coming to the surface .

When I was feeling that I can't do it more alone ,

I put my hand on heart and prayed to dear God .

I started to walk alone in the dry desert , having faith that I will surely get that one drop of water .

On my next step I found a brilliant team,

They were influencer and some spritual being.

They took me to the ocean of Sprituality ,

They show reflection of devine and society .

What it looks ,how it is, what is it's reality ,

They taught me trick, how Can I handle it.

They have introduced me to my tool kit ,

Which was always there present inside of me .

It is none another than my perspective ,

Now I see how my reality is relfected .

When I understand the power of my thoughts ,

I found Life was always my friend in disguise of monster .

Life came closer and told this to me ,

That I was always working for your destiny.

Whenever I've injected pain inside of you,

It have triggered burried emotions into you.

So you can literally understand this simple thing ,

That darling you need to work you can't sit on it .

So you can evolve and meet your higher self ,

And She will show you your signed soul contract .

ALL your definition of Success that society have told you,

The name , the fame, and the cash in your bank account .

that you always thought is your passion and purpose,

it will started to seem nothing infront of your soul contract .

And when you'll do what your destined to do you'll get ,

More than you ever wished Lord to do.

And after listning to her ancient wisdom ,

My " Why me, changed to It's me life anthem .

All those emotional pain and childhood wounds ,

I finally learnt what I have to do.

I've cutted the the chord of victimization and guilt ,

and Accepted it as part of my dastan-e -zindagi .

This darkness have given a sacred spritual light to me ,

Which I can live and radiate to those who need. 🌻

Women- Chehak Kathuria

Sit like a lady, speak like a lady, behave like a lady

Where are these people when we speak about our safety

Don't be out late, don't hang out with boys

Wonder who is gonna tell them we are humans not toys.

To have power is to dictate how to dress and be modest

Anyway, who gave them the key to our closets

They choose how we spend our 24 hours

As if time management isn't already our superpower

Stepping out or staying in has become a forced choice

So scared of being called out, that they suppress our voice

They say the end goal's to be a wife, to be a mother

But what if we want none of the above

Beauty is in our silence and not on our face

Left natural, you're ugly. With makeup you're fake and a disgrace

Climbing up the professional ladder, comes with rumours and incessant chatter

And our worth being defined by people who don't matter

They say housework is no work so no perks

How about a little help if you don't wanna end up with our corpse

Opinions on our bodies and jokes at our expense

Isn't that too shallow even for those who live their life in pretence

Why were you out so late, why did you dress like that

This is where our society's at

Because of them nights bring fear

But are we even safe to soak up the sun here

चलोगे?- Gravity Singh

चलोगे?

ऐसे जहां में

जहाँ मैं

मैं कम, तुम ज्यादा हूं

तुम्हारी ही परछाई का

हिस्सा आधा हूं

जहाँ बातें हैं बातों से बढ़कर थोड़ी

जहाँ हर बात से एक याद है जोड़ी

जहाँ शब्दों से ज्यादा आंखें समझाती हैं

हँसती हैं, रोती हैं, कभी रिझाती हैं

जहाँ विस्मय है, विचलन है, विडंबना है

हर कदम से पहले सांसों का थमना है

थोड़ा असमंजस है, शायद थोड़ा ज्यादा है

स्वयं तो बस एक छलिए का प्यादा है

रातों में रंजिश का डर है

सुबह साजिश का स्वर है

छोटी सी प्यारी सी दुनिया

लिबास में भयावह डगर है

भूतकाल का भय है

भय का बस भूत है

भावनाओं का बहाव

भयकारी अभूतपूर्व है

आंखों से ओझल होती एक तस्वीर

ओस की ओट और उज्ज्वल लकीर

दोनो के मध्य में एक भीनी सी रेखा है

पारखी भले जाने, पर तुमने तो देखा है

उस रेखा से परे एक झील बहती है

एक मीनाक्षी सुंदरी उसमें रहती है

मीनाक्ष कुंतल के सिरे दो मोती हैं

एक से सुबह, एक से रात्रि होती है

सुबह के सिर पर सच्चाई का ताज है

रात्रि में सिर्फ छलावे का आगाज़ है

बहकने को राहगीर आएगा एक रोज़

तब जानेगा उस रात पर कितने ही राज़ हैं

राज़ उसका साज हैं, ख़ामोश आवाज़ हैं

छटपटाए तो छिपालो, ये राज़ लाज हैं

चमचमाने को छटपटाते हैं

इस जमाने को पढ़ाते हैं

हठ करते हैं, होड़ है

खुदसे खुदकी एक दौड़ में

भागते हैं, भगाते हैं

जागते हैं, जगाते हैं

चलोगे?

ऐसे जहां में

जहाॅं भागना पड़े पर राह न हो

जहां जागना पड़े पर रात न हो

चलोगे?

ऐसे जहां में

जहां खुशी सिमटने को आतुर होगी

चिंता चहकती सी खूब बहादुर होगी

साथ होने का, साथ सोने का जी होगा

वक्त की ढली में लम्हा लम्हा घी होगा

तिनकों से जज्बातों को आंहो की फूंक लगेगी

भरे भरे से दिल को भी जोरों की भूख लगेगी

खाली खोखले मन में गड़ी हुई कुछ बातें होंगी

बातों को यादें बनाने को कई शामें फिर रातें होंगी

दुनिया की चुप्पी में सुकून की तलाश होगी

मीलों की दूरी और धक धक दो पास होंगी

सूनी सी दीवार पर

कलाई से पोंछ कर

कुछ तस्वीर लगानी है

कभी घबरा कर

निकाल फेंक कर

फिर नई कील की जगह बनानी है

टूटे कांच को अनदेखा कर

फिर उसी तस्वीर की नजर उतारी जायेगी

बारिश रंग छिटकाएगी

कभी धूप उसपर नाच दिखाएगी

हवा संग उड़ने को तैयार मेरी किताब के मैले पन्ने

अपनी तकदीर में तेरे किस्सों को पाके मुस्काएंगे

कालिख से पुते हुए हार मान चुके हैं जो पहले ही

माहौल में उठती मीत महक में दोबारा जी पाएंगे

चलोगे?

ऐसे जहां में

जहां खिलौनों सी रंग बिरंगी एक खिलखिलाहट होगी

गुमसुम से कोने में कुछ सिसकियों की आहट होगी

बाहों में भरने को तो बाहों की भी चाहत होगी

सांसें ये तरसेंगी, इनके तरसने में लानत होगी

जहां खोए खोए से रहने में ही पाने का सुख हो

सूरजमुखी सी मीरा मैं, और सूर्य तेरा श्याम मुख हो

रेशम सी बांधनी से कलाई में मेरी रंग चढ़े

तितलियों के पंख पर कोई आयाम सा गढ़ें

जहां थोड़ा सा डर हो

कारणों की डगर हो

पत्थर से इरादों पर

धार का एक मगर हो

तुमसे सिर्फ तुम्हारी ही बात हो

संधली सा साया सदैव साथ हो

कभी छुअन में एक चुभन सी हो

हिचकिचाता हुआ चुम्बन भी हो

पलकों पर उम्मीदें रखके कभी आंखें बंद ना कर पाएं

उन्हें मूंदकर कूदना हो और वादा बस इतना किया जाए

चलोगे?

ऐसे जहां में

जहां बातें धुली हुई हो और वादे साफ

अदृश्य से आंसुओं में सच्चाई की भाप

कि हाथ तुम्हारा मेरे हाथ का हिस्सा होगा

तुम्हारा या मेरा नहीं, ये हमारा किस्सा होगा

चलोगे?

ऐसे जहां में

कि आखिरकार जब अंत आएगा

दोनो के धड़ को धरा से ढूंढा जाएगा

तो एक नहीं वहां दो जिस्म मिलेंगे

शैया में साथ सोए हुए एकसाथ जलेंगे

कि तुम ना भी होगे तो मुझमें तुम्हारा वास होगा

साधारण सी हूं तुम्हारा होना ही खास होगा

कि जान तुम में बसेगी और जान लो इतना

जान देने में भी क्षण भर संकोच नहीं होगा

खुदको पाने में खोना है, खोकर ही पाना

खुदा और खुदी से सब खुद बेखबर होगा

मेरे कफन में तुम्हें कुछ एहसास लिपटे मिलेंगे

सफ़ेद से उस कपड़े में कुछ कहानी वो सिलेंगे

सिलवटों के बीच तुम्हे अक्षर खोजने होंगे

हमेशा ठंडे रहने वाले ये दो हाथ सहेजने होंगे

आखिरी बार मेरे माथे से दो घुंघराली लट हटा देना

मुमकिन हो तो अपने होठ से मेरे चेहरे को सजा देना

आंखो में आंसू आने ना पाएं

मेरी अंतिम तस्वीरें धुंधला जाएंगी

जुदा होने के गम में पहले से नम

मेरी बंद आंखें भी पानी छलका जाएंगी

राख होने से पहले भी मैं तुमपे सिहाऊंगी

खाक हो जाने पर भी खुदको वहीं पाऊंगी

मेरी सेज से उठती लपटें भी तुम्हे इठलाती नज़र आएंगी

तुम पास खड़े रहना, तुम्हारे सर्द से दिल को तपाती हुई जाएंगी

छिटक कर चमकती हुई चार चिंगारियां तुम्हे छूने को आगे आएंगी

दो कदम पीछे लेना, इस बार की ये छुअन साफ़ जख्म छोड़ जाएंगी

कलकलाते पानी में मेरे संग मेरी यादें बहा देना

सर उठा कर पीठ दिखाना, उसी पल भुला देना

मुड़कर देखोगे तो वापस जाना मुश्किल हो जायेगा

बहतर है चले जाना, मेरे रुक चुके दिल को भाएगा

नई सी एक दुनिया बसाना

कहीं तो फिरसे मन लगाना

मेरी जगह ना देना किसी को, दिखेगा, दुखेगा

कोई आए और तुम्हे भाए तो नई जगह बनाना

उसे मेरे बारे भले ना बताना

ना ही मेरे ना होने को जताना

पर आसमां में देख पल भर ही सही

मुस्कुरा दोगे ना, ऐसे भूलोगे तो नहीं

वो मुस्कान ही मेरा दिन बना देगी

तुम खुश हो, मुझे ये धूप बता देगी

कभी अकेला पाओ खुदको तो फिर याद कर लेना

एक बार नाम लेना, किसी शीशे से बात कर लेना

तुम में मैं हमेशा हूं, तुम तब जान लोगे ना

तुमसे ज्यादा जिद्दी हूं, अब तो मान लोगे, है ना

झीनी सी एक चादर में फिर खुदको हौले से तुम ढांक लेना

तुमसे लिपटने की उसकी कोशिश से मेरे प्यार को आंक लेना

दिल भारी हो जाए तो दो मोती आंख से बहने दो

मेरा साया घर कर लेगा उन्हें संभाल के रखने को

दोनो को हथेली में थामे अपने साथ ले जाऊंगी

खो जाने का डर होगा उन्हें धागों में पिराऊंगी

दोनों हाथ में एक एक धागा

धागे में बुनी असंख्य आस होंगी

आस को आसरा देने की मांग है

भगवा ही साधु, संतरी सा ढोंगी

चलोगे?

ऐसे जहां में

जहां बिछड़ने के बाद भी मिलने की आस हो

नामुमकिन से खयालों में इतना विश्वास हो

आस होगी कि अगली बारी तुम्हारे पास होगी

सिर्फ हमे नहीं, किस्मत को भी जोड़ी रास होगी

चलोगे?

ऐसे जहां में

सोचलो, जानलो

समझ कर बतादो

निमिष भर साथ भी काफी है मुझे

साध लूंगी कभी दिया जो ये बुझे

तब तक मेरे पास ही रहो

मीठी सी दो बात सुनो

हंसके तुम भी कहलो कुछ

दो चार बातें करलें सच

तेरी आंखों में चार दिन खुदको देख लूं

गालों को चूम लूं, हाथों से हाथ सेंक लूं

हंस लूं तेरे साथ, तेरे साथ थोड़ा रो लूं

बांध लूं गलबहियों में, कभी ना खोलूं

चांदनी में चांद तांक कर

अंधेरी का इंतजार नहीं करते हैं

पास बैठ, मुझे अपना बना

तारे गिनते, कुछ बात करते हैं।

चलोगे?

ऐसे जहां में

चलोगे?

The sky is beautiful, not anymore- Bitupan Das

A beautiful night sky

Not anymore

Because you’re not here with me

To show me the magic

Through your eyes

Tonight I can’t see the stars

Maybe because there are dark clouds in my eyes

And slowly it’s raining

Raining sadness like hemoglobin

And the love like oxygen that is flowing in my blood

Through my veins

 

I am thirsty

Thirsty for your love

Your lips

How can even whiskey replace it

Wind is blowing

And it is softly touching my skin

And I am closing my eyes

To feel your hand over my body

How can even these winds

Replace the soft touch of your hand

 

The sky is beautiful

Not anymore

Because you’re not here with me

How can even the moon replace you

 

The sky is beautiful

Not anymore

Because you’re not here with me

And I am too not here with me

Because I loved you more than I loved myself

And you took me with you

The wounds of impurity - Parizad Gaur

The wounds that fill the gap with dried lips and slit skin, as dark as ashes flying in the thin air,

An "untouchable" rises from the pollution he is believed to be born from,

At night, when others sleep,

He wanders with broom tied behind his bony back,

Clapping hands,

Thump- thump

To let the "clean" know that "an untouchable" has entered so close your eyes,

The indispensable notion of being "impure"

Echoes, louder and louder in the bleeding ears of the "untouchable" that he's gone deaf,

He starts fearing his own shadow,

that falls on the land of where an

"Upper caste" walks on.

Forty five days into old age - Anya Oberai

Title : Forty five days into old age

Aged 50 years ahead .

My will holding my mental tone ,

and my mouth having a mind of its own .

Hurts me as much as others

Whence I speak .

The backyard boy was ready to help.

Off course , that skinny wretch

Could stop my old lady whimper!

Distractions and drama!

“You’re in the mood”.

Dreams and a little more of that idiocy,

unusual habits and tics,

“You’re in the mood, focus!”

What honest promises to make ,

Before I bend them and they break ?

Yes, I forgot - my mood was a stillborn.

The Backyard boy broke the television !

Bubble wrap,lying, sun soaked on the grass!

This wasn’t to happen under my vision ,

But, Blow raspberries and it’ll all pass.

I fear change and endings .

So,

I want endings - sad .

Then, that’ll make

the whole process forgettable ,

I’m not a child anymore,so I don’t have second thoughts,

I have no thoughts, really. Hail the lord !

The Backyard boy broke the only television !

And there’s Bubble wrap,lying on the grass!

What is happening under my vision ?

Just hail the lord and it’ll all pass!

I’m tired of running.

Taking two minutes

to think through everything,

Whilst always knowing

That things will remain the same

Be it Two minute before

Or two minutes after.

So dysfunctional .

Speaking of DYSFUNCTIONAl

Let’s add the societal touch .

We fail to pretend .

We can’t even pretend to pretend .

Yet, we live in crooked harmony

Like pencil in still water .

Take the incense stick out someone ,

The smoke smells too honest in here!

Lost- Alsa S

She is in her bed,

Woke up by the shiny rays of the golden Sun- That pierced through the white curtains of her room.

She walked to the kitchen,

Did her household chores,

Packed up lunch for her husband and daughter.

She saw the clock-

The time ticked fast.

Gathered up her pace,

She ran to the bathroom, cleaned up,

Tidied her hair in the mirror,

Ran out for bus.

She ran among the crowds,

Bumped into someone-

Who was once her soul, The medicine for her sorrows,

The magical element that could make her smile

Even in the darkest of days.

A person who is now a lost love.

She stood there expecting to talk to her. "Why? Didn't she see me?"

She was my life.

Why is she turning her back on me?

Amn't I supposed to be happy?

But she continued to walk away from her-

Through the crowd.

These questions passed through her mind.

The clock rang when it reached nine.

That is when she understood- She was glaring at herself through the mirror

And the person who is lost in the crowd is her self.