कोरोना का खेल

भूखा में सोया हूं , रातें रोया हूं

इस "कोरोना" के खेल में काम खोया हूं, 

हौसला है मगर , उम्मीद बची है, 

चिड़ियों की जो पेड़ों पर महफ़िल सजी है।

अब तो आसमान भी दिखता है साफ, तारे गिन पाता हूं, 

खुश हूं साहब, भले सूखी रोटी खाता हूं। 

हम ही ने केहर ये खुद पर ढाया है,

और कहते हैं धरती पर मौत का ये साया है।

ना बचा कोई हिन्दू ना मुसलमान, ना सिक्ख ना ईसाई

कमस्कम ये मुसीबत हमें संग तो लाई।

लड़ना है, जूझना है, पार भी पना है

यही तो बस जीवन का ताना बाना है।

Muflis Musaafir

दिल में ना छिपे हों राज़ तो ज़िन्दगी आसान होती है,

वरना ज़िन्दगी का क्या है, वो तो यूं ही तमाम होती है।

दो पल के मेहमान हैं इस कारवां में, चार लोगों से गुफ्तगू कर जाए

दास्तां कुछ सुनें सबकी कुछ अपनी सुनाई जाए।

मुकम्मल है खुदा गर फितूर से मुहब्बत की जाए,

मिले जो फुरसत खुद से तो यादों की किताब टटोली जाए

जीतेजी नहीं तो मर के किसी के ज़हन में जगह बनाई जाए।

एक खूबसूरत मंज़र, एक तजुर्बा होती है,

वरना उम्र का क्या है, वो तो यूं ही फना होती है।

-@vani

Sweet Sin

My lips crave yours,

My body waiting to be discovered by them 

Bit by bit, inch by inch.

With the goosebumps still, 

carve my body with your touch

Mark forever your presence on it

Let your senses be lost in mine.

-@van!

Lost I am in your eyes

Trying to kiss the devil

behind those innocent eyes

They say you are an angel

But your lips say otherwise

I’ll kiss every inch of you 

Your moans be my blessings

You won't need your wings 

I’ll fly you to moon and back

And then let our tongues do the rest

-Harshit

Yey! First colab with him! Many more to come :D

Title courtesy- Advaya Andhare

Musings of a wild fire

I am not a flame but fire, consuming all the intentions polluted with jealousy and anger.  Enervating them all and setting them "ablaze" with the fury of a wild fire consuming a parched field.. 

Title courtesy- Harshit Mishra 

Picture courtesy- Tanishq Shukla 

रूखी सासें

इन सूखी रगों में एक जुनून सा दौड़ता था, अब जिसका कोई अस्तित्व नहीं।
उड़ा ले गयी हैं हवाएं मुझे, मेरा कोई ठिकाना नहीं।
चिड़ियों की चहचहाट से होती थी सुबह,
मगर अब किसी का कोई फ़साना तक नहीं।
चल पड़ा हूँ सफर में , न कोई अपना, कोई बेगाना नहीं
देखी हैं ऋतुएं कई, कभी बसंत, कभी बरखा, अब तो पतझड़ का भी अफसाना नहीं।
जूझने दो मुझे अकेले, रास्ते में ऐसे ही किसी को उसके जीवन की याद दिलाऊँ,
कमस कम किसी काम का नहीं तो किसी के फ़ोन में तस्वीर बन कर ही ठहर जाऊं।

Parable of Verity

It is not too soon to start to dispel the clouds of myth and see the great​ mountain peaks that these clouds hide. As always, the myth has its charms but the truth is far more beautiful..

The dance of Drops

The golden orb could be seen in the horizon, 

Emanating rays licking the water, painting them yellow and orange. 

The waves longed to be with the sky,

Requesting the sun to take them away with it.

Helios summoned up his might and started pulling up the waves.

Drop by drop, water stretch evaporated. 

Finally, water was with the sky, forming clouds, dancing with the winds, sliding at rainbows. 

But it was now time to leave. 

Clouds grew heavy, condensed and rained down. 

Water united with the land again, for the sake of earth, with a longing to meet the sky...

PC- Manish Dhane

Papa

Papa,

Jab me paida hui, sabne kaha, ladki paida hui hai, ye kya karegi?

Aapne unhe muh tod jawab diya - aapke beton ne kya nihaal kiya h?

Me thodi badi hui, aapne mujhe hath pakad kar chalna sikhaya,

Mjhe ghanton cycle par humaya.

Aapke kandhon par chadh kar maine mela dekha.

Kamar par chadhkar ghoda-ghoda khela hai..  :)

Aap office se ghar kabhi der se aate the.

Me aapka intazaar kare karte deewan par so jati thi.

Aap mujhe godi me lekar, mere hath me colors thamar mjhe kamre me sula diya karte the.

Aaadhi raat me mujhe darr lagta tha, to appke paas aa ghr dera jama liya karti thi..

Mujhe thand lagti to apni rajai mujhe udha diya karte the.

Mere birthday par sabse bada gift aap hi ka hua karta tha,

Kitne dino pehle se mujhe dress dilane le jate the.

School me kausi toffees baatni hain, ek raat pehle tak bhi decide nahi kar pati thi,

Par aap end moment tak jo bhi bolu la kar dete the.  :P

School me teachers agar daat lagate to aap hamesha unhe yahi kehte - "She's learning, that's why she's making mistakes. She will grow to be. Right beta?"

Agar kabhi tabiyat kharab hone ka naatak karti, to school nhi bhejne ke liye mummy ko manate.

Har wo cheez di jo maangi, mera har nakhra jhela.

Jo kaam krne ka kehti thi, khud karne ki jagah mujhe sikhaya taki mujhe aage koi takleef na ho.

Har us insaan se ladne ko taiyar rhete the jisne mujhe pareshan karne ke baare me soch maatr bhi

Meri exams ke samay me jaagti thi to mummy ke sath aap bhi jaage ho.

Me tension me hoti thi to aapko bhi nind nhi aati thi.

Hamesha kehte the "beta soja, tension mat le, jo hoga achcha hoga"
Exam ke pehle jitni novels mujhse le liya karte the ussey double mujhe exam centre se nikalne ke turant baad dilaya karte the.

Jab maine top kiya, jab maine prizes jeete, aapki aankhon ki khushi avanrnaneeya rahi hai.

Jab maine job karna shuru kiya, jisse bhi mere baare me baat karte ho, aapko gauravanvit dekh kar meri khushi ka thikana nahi rehta.

Me aage bhi koshish karti rahungi ki aapki aankhon ki chamak bani rahu aur aapko hamesha hi mujh par garv karne ka kaaran du.

Me is janam mein to chah kar bhi aapka dhanyawaad nahi kar skti

Kyunki jo bhi aapne kiya hai, agar me uska 10% bhi kar paun to me khud ko ek achchi insaan maanungi.

Me shayad paryaapt roop se aabhaar prakat nahi karti hu roz marra ke jeevan mein par jo bhi me likh rahi hoon shayad ussey me apni bhaawnayen aap tak pahucha sakoon.

Papa, thank you for being my Superman.

Love you loads! :*

Though one day is not enough to thank you for all you are, but happy father's day..I hope I make you proud. :)

Jeevan ki raah mein

Samay tha aisa jab mushkilo ne ghera tha,
Deepak jalaya to Deepak tale andhera tha.

Sisakta saaya kisi se kuch keh na paya,
Choda usi ne hath jisne tha ab tak sath nibhaya.

Chalna akele hai in raahon mein,
Kitni hi kathinaiyan aayen, sapne liye nigaahon mein.

Manzil ne pukara hai, goonj jiski kaano me padti hai,
Rag rag meri usi junoon se jhoom uthti hai.

Ye waqt bhale hi kaala h,
Par Mann me mere ujaala h.
Is samay nhi to kabi aur lakshya ko bhedna hoga,
Apna bhavishya mjhe swayam hi ukerna hoga.

Himmat nhi kisi me itni k daba sake mera fitoor,
Khud hi se ladkar dariya paar krna h Manzoor..

I will live to fight another day, and come back stronger this time.!
That's my promise...
- A crestfallen aspirer..

Rise and shine!

As the night falls, I'll be haunted by nightmares and with the day I'll be buried in my thoughts,
Can feel the essence draining out of me, can feel my skin crawl where you touched me!
Never will I be able to get this out of my system, not in an eternity, it'll stay with me till the last breath leaves my body.
What do you care? You left me to die here with my scars and wounds..
- A Desolate Soul

But these nasty scars and angry wounds,
Are now an indispensable part of you.
Give into them, then they are your bane,
Or accept and rise! Just to shine again.
- A Driven Psyche

A colab with my buddy Advaya Andhare :)

The kiss of death

And with a tender touch
His lips met hers
Her heart skipped a beat
With that stroke on her neck
She finally gave in..
Never before had she felt so special, so cared for, so beautiful
But he made her feel
As if she was the only one,
Different from others
Never letting her go

His hands slid to her waist
And he gently moved his lips to her clavicle
She was not herself..she was lost
Onto the ninth cloud,she was floating
The feeling that hung in the air was something else,
Not that either of them could imagine
The delicacy,the warmth of the impeccable moment
It only did to accentuate the love,the passion they felt for each other

He was just "the guy" she wanted,
And knew it from her insides
Just as she had dreamt to be with him one day..
But the dream had seemed out of reach..he had seemed out of reach
Yet there she was - wrapped in his arms
Surrounded by the wisps of exuding dauntless sentiments.
She had a smile on her face that gave it a new glow
Like she had been waiting for it for an eternity
Nobody to part them,
Just their bodies against each other.. A thud opened her eyes
She went to the window,only to see the beautiful canvas being ripped off by God's rage.
Animals and humans alike - rushing to find a haven,to protect their loved ones.
It was a fiasco - complete hokum!
She could do nothing.

Then came another bang and she was knocked off her feet.
She fell - two storeys below the room
Lying under the debris -
She was thinking about those "magical moments" spent with him.

He could never know how much he meant to her,
How much she wanted to be with him
It was the most beautiful dream she ever had
With her last few breaths,she stretched out her hand
The ground was still trembling,
Another structure fell upon her
She could hear shrieking everywhere
She could see fire in distance.

Writhing in pain,eyes filled with tears
She called her beloved's name with her last breath waning away and closed her eyes forever..
There was no way he could even know that "she" ever existed...

The Fulfilling Silence

It was a bad day for her. The usual chores, work, people around her, the weather, everything irritated​ her.

She finally left the office,not telling anyone why she wanted to leave early.

After a stroll alone on a deserted road, she dialed a number. The phone was picked up after the second ring.

"Hey!" "Where have you been?? I've been worried sick. Couldn't get a chance to talk to you since morning"

A voice that had recently become her favorite, replied from the other end.

" I don't feel very elevated. Could you come and collect me from..You know where..?" She asked.

"O'course dear. I'll be there in 10 minutes."

She had butterflies in her stomach, her heart had already started beating fast but somehow she composed herself.

There he was after 10 minutes,in ragged blue jeans and a pistachio green button down shirt. 

She was dazzled even by this simple appearance. She could only stand there and admire him for a minute. He finally broke the silence. "What happened to you? Are you alright?"

"Not really" she said in a small voice. "Let's just go somewhere I don't wanna talk about it."

She sat behind him on his bike and without another question, he drove. They did not speak a word for a long time. She was happy to be around him, that alone calmed her down. 

She then realized that the weather was pleasant. The wind was slightly cold but she closed her eyes and felt it on her face.

Amidst all this, he was thinking a lot of things but he did not utter a word. The streets were quiet. He adjusted the rear view mirror so that he could see her reflection. Her eyes closed, arms outstretched, slight smile on the corner of her lips, hair blown by the wind. She looked angelic. 

As they went farther from the town, the air started to grow colder. She wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his back.

She had never held him like that before, they had never really gotten that close, physically. But something about this gesture felt comfortable. Her body was relaxed. She basked in the warmth of his body.

After driving a few minutes, he stopped the bike on a bridge, which was his favorite place. It was adorned with fairy lights along the edges. The lamp posts installed were carved with floral designs, and lavender trees did nothing but added elegance to the road. Almost the entire town could be seen from up there, lights twinkling in distance.

She got down without asking any questions and stood leaning on the railing.

The moon looked majestic, with an orange tinge.

He walked up to her and took her hand.

"You know you can share anything with me right?"

"Yea, I know" her voice was a little shaky.

" But I don't want to talk about it now. Let's just sit here for a while"

"As you wish" he said, toying with a smile, his lips quirked up a bit.

Both sat facing the town, lost in the moment. None of them felt the need to speak.

 

He turned towards​ her and planted a soft kiss on her forehead. She smiled, the most comely smile he had ever seen. He adored the dimple on her right cheek, the shape of her eyes, when she smiled. She looked at him from under her lashes, her heart now racing. His eyes held hers, for what seemed like an eternity.

 

" I love you, dear one" he spoke at last. 

She entwined her fingers into his, closed her eyes, leaned in and kissed him...

Title Courtesy- Advaya Andhare

A thing called "woman"

She was not pure,no!

She was defiled by her own people!

Whenever no one was around, she was pulled in a dark corner by a familiar hand,

Hushed by a familiar voice.. it's okay dear, no-one will come to know about it.

You just need to do as I say, and anything you want is yours.

My little princess, come closer, let me touch you, let me feel your skin,

Then the torment would begin.

Being touched against her will,

A body holding her down, a firm grip preventing her from escaping.

But there was nothing she could've done,

She had to endure it, endure the lascivious look in "his" eyes.

Her skin burned where ever "he" would touch her, but she lay there, helpless and exposed.

This was done to her not just once, but countless times, by a myriad known and unknown faces, all dissembled in the charade of belongingness.

She was tired of being vulnerable and being used as a puppet.

She was tired of being a tool of satisfaction, albeit she uttered not a word to anyone..

Ripped bare off her soul and beaten by the abuse disguised in chivalry, she left.

Left forever this time... into the river of her sorrows..Never to emerge again...

Title courtesy- Advaya Andhare

The love voyage

Assaulted by Myriad reasons,
Assuaged by one voice.

Unwavering in catastrophes,
Ebbing away emotions,
Yet a lot there was to come.
How long could the sentiments be hidden?
Impassioned, fervent with a boost of tranquility!

Impeccably swaggering,
Flare beaconing in the dark,
Ambulating indubitably!
Crossing every encumbrance,
There could be seen the destination!
Just a few strides afar..

But driven by heart,
No advancement could be made,
Turning around and retracing the steps,
Reaching for the love that seemed so far..

Recuperating what all was lost,
Voyaging to find his better half,
With a smile set on his lips,
Finally finding her,
It had the power,
Like nothing he had felt before!!

Title courtesy- Harshit Mishra

गुनहगार बिटिया

क्या होना लड़की है कोई गुनाह
क्यों लेनी पड़ती है छिप कर पनाह?
अपने ही समाज से क्यों कर दिया जाता है बेदखल
बिना सूरत देखे ही असल।
कहीं समझा जाता है पवित्रता की मूरत
कहीं तिरस्कार कर दिया जाता है देखते ही सूरत!

क्या होना लड़की है कोई गुनाह
क्यों लेनी पड़ती है छिप कर पनाह?
होती है अपने ही घर में चंद दिनों की मेहमान
सुहाग संग कहा जाता सम्मान।
हर कदम पर मुश्किलें सहती है
लेकिन "रहो अडिग" स्वयं से यह कहती है!

क्या होना लड़की है कोई गुनाह
क्यों लेनी पड़ती है छिप कर पनाह?
अनमोल, अद्वितीय है उसकी मुस्कान।
परंतु कड़वा घूँट पी जाती सह कर अपमान
समझ लेती है औरों की भावनाओं को
मगर क्या कोई समाझ पाया है उसके आंसुओ को??

क्या होना लड़की है कोई गुनाह
क्यों लेनी पड़ती है छिप कर पनाह?
लेकर निकली है फूलों सा कोमल दिल
जिसे समझने वाला कोई जाए उसे मिल।
हज़ारों दुःख दफनाये हैं एक हँसी मुस्कान तले
उसकी इस मुस्कान से न जाने कितने दिल खिले।

क्या होना लड़की है कोई गुनाह
क्यों लेनी पड़ती है छिप कर पनाह?
स्वयं सहेगी दुःख ताकि अपनों पर आंच ना आन पड़े
बावजूद इसके, उसी के अपने उसके विरुद्ध खड़े!
क्या मिलेगी उसे मुक्ति अपनी इस व्यथा से?
कितनी परिपक्वता से कह जाति सबकुछ अपनी कथा से।

क्या होना लड़की है कोई गुनाह
क्यों लेनी पड़ती है छिप कर पनाह?
नाम दे दिया जाता है उसकी इस पीड़ा को "तथाकथित दुःख" का
क्या कभी वह भी निगल पायेगी एक भी निवाला सुख का?
क्या अपनी भावनाएं व्यक्त करने का नहीं है उसे अधिकार?
मत जाने बिना ही दिया जाता है धिक्कार!

क्या होना लड़की है कोई गुनाह
क्यों लेनी पड़ती है छिप कर पनाह?
दिखाकर सुन्दर सपने,
धराशायि कर देते हैं उन्हें उसी के अपने।
उड़ान भरने से पहले ही छीन लिए जाते हैं पंख
जन्म से पहले ही सूनी कर दी जाती है जननी की अंक।

उसकी है ही क्या गलती
जो इतना बोझा ढो कर वह चलती।
देवी कहकर सिर आँखों पर बैठाया
फिर उसी को मिट्टी में मिलाया!!..
क्या होना लड़की है कोई गुनाह
क्यों लेनी पड़ती है छिप कर पनाह?

Dil Karta hai Ud Jane ko..!

Band kar yaadon ki kitaab fir, sir utha ke jine ko,
Mann ki dhuno ko aur dimaag ki taalo ka sangam baithane ko,
Dil karta hai ud jaane ko!!

Na rok sake koi, kuch aisa kar jaane ko,
Aapni manzilo ko dhundte hue wahin pohoch jaane ko,
Dil karta hai ud jaane ko!!

Na tu hai bhagwan na me hu,
Bas apni kamiyo ko apnane ko,
Dil karta hai ud jaane ko!!

Sawar jaye jo kisi ki zindagi,
Ek hi jhalak se meri
Aisi hasti ban jane ko
Dil karta hai ud jaane ko!!

Akele safar ka maza hi kya,
Jahan ho na apne hasi batne ko,
Wahin leke apne sabhi yaaro ko,
Dil karta hai ud jaane ko!!

Hai jo seeney me kaid darr
Kabhi to aaye ubhar
Saari bhawanayen vyakta kr jane ko
Chandni ki chadar odhe, khushiyo ki godd me so jaane ko,
Dil karta hai ud jaane ko!!

Har chehre ko muskaan se sajaane ko
Dosto ki khushiyo pe sab haar jaane ko,
Dil karta hai ud jaane ko!!

Chalte chalte sabhi bandhan tod jane ko,
Undekhi ek misaal ban jane ko
Koshish jiski pehle kabhi na ki ho,
Har wo kaam kar jane ko
Gir ke hi sahi, phir sambhal jaane ko,
Rag Rag me ik junoon jo daudta h
Usi me ghul jane ko
Dil karta hai ud jaane ko!!

Baarish ki bundo me nachne gaane ko,
Raaton ki ubasiyo ke beech panchi ban jaane ko,
Dil karta hai ud jaane ko!!

Chilchilaati dhoop me thandi hawa ban jane ko,
Taqdeer ki rekhaon ko azmaane ko,
Dil karta hai ud jaane ko!!

Hold me High

Want you to embrace me and hold me high
coz m not strong enough, I don't deny
Now that I owe you my heart,
Never will I want to part..
Tender care is what I mean,
Hope,distress never be seen.
"We" have been through a lot,
No matter what the situation, we fought!
Will I ever be able to repay the debt??..
Now that I have nothing left.
How will I live without you?
Together, the happiness always grew.
If ever did I fail,
You were there to take me out of the hail
Did not have the strength to stand,you never let go off my hand.
Missing you badly,
Anything makes sense hardly..
I need you.. Want to embrace me and hold me high,
coz m not strong enough, I don't deny...

She Moved On..

Incarcerated behind the bars of time,
Marked by the allegations of the society
Chained in shackles
Buried deep in a masquerade,
Tears of helplessness beneath.

Shrieking but no one to listen
Yet a smile on her face,
She moved on..

She moved on so she could inspire,
She moved on so she could help those in need,
She moved on so nobody could see her vulnerability
She moved on, strong as ever, unwavering.

She moved on alone, in the dark,
She moved on not coz she didn't need anyone,
But coz she was tired, tired of trying, tired of being let down.

She moved on, to set her soul free
She moved on to breathe again,
She moved on to live again.

She moved on, with a smile on her face,
To create her own destiny!

No one kills me..But me!

No one kills me, but me
I am my own murderer
I wander these dark alleyways
In search of something
I don't even comprehend
I am the one who's always wrong
And no one cares
To put things right
I do not possess the finesse to confront
Yet no one bothers -
Not to accentuate my agony.
Disheartened as ever I can be
Tired of explaining myself
A fire kindles in me,
Not anyone I mean to offend
Just being innocuous -
Trying to obliterate my dark side
Coz I am no one!.
But I am me!!
I am my own murder..
As no one kills me but me...

Fettered

Am I just history, and hold no value in your life?
Sitting in some corner
Bedraggled in my tears
But you don't know it
Not that you care

Does it not show in my eyes
The pain you inflicted?
But you don't want to see it,
Compassion once flaring
Now the shards of broken dreams 
Ruthlessly stab my eyes!

I am flushed when we cross,
Enervated by the thrashings of time
Bearing the scars as souvenirs
These memories will stay forever
But then you decided to leave,
Never to return...
I am vacuous and hollow from the inside
Can't shriek or pour my heart out
Trapped in my own cage, wings chained
Left in the midst of the deepest ocean
I'll always be your little secret
Delve deep to find my originality and you go empty handed

Did not once think of my emotions
When you were so intoxicated
Just wanted to touch and taste me 
Then I was tossed aside
When I could not fulfill your needs
Like I was a piece of gibberish  to be dumped in a trash can!

This was not done to me once
But twice, thrice...
and now I have lost count,
Gone numb.
Have a sight but no sentiments to comprehend
What I have become is not my fault
I have been made this way
by the recurrent tides of time
Stripped bare of my skin
And here I lay on a cold stone,
Unfeeling and beaten
And you call me a soul-less monster
Yes! I have no soul
Because it is long gone,
Taken away from me-
Burned to leave only the ashes 
Ashes I cannot regenerate from 
Now they are gone, and so is my identity!