Blind Vision

I do not know what a blind can see

Blind to everything else, I see you.

I do not know the color of darkness

Black, grey, green or blue

In my foggy vision

No color seems true

I reach out and stumble

Not because I cannot see

But because you keep moving

From defined trajectory

I look for props,

my hands outstretched

with nothing to hold

in dark I tread

if at all you could once

look back and see

my blindness will illuminate

with bright ecstasy

My blindness is vast

Yours confined to me

I don’t see anything else

You see all but me

In this selective blindness

Your and mine

We have built our worlds

In strict confines

I do not want to break free

You know not you are held

We celebrate colors of captivity

Blind to everything else

I wait for the day

When my blindness is complete

I do not see my world, you

And rest in peace.

She

She could not speak

Not for herself

Nor could she keep quiet

Not when every voice was stifled

Rebellion was not her nature

Nor was silent surrender

She was alone

But part of a herd

that grazed on borrowed land

Groomed to be beheaded.

It was easy to give in

But how could she give up

A battle that she did not began

A struggle forced on her

Defeat, she could accept

But surrender, how could she? 

Her head held high

She marched to the alter

Ready for beheading

With a resolve to fight

Suddenly, the hand holding the ax

Shook

The ax fell with a thud

She walked ahead

With sparks in her eyes

She had won the day…

But the battle is far from over

Every step is a combat

Every breath defiance

She will survive,

Till she breathes,

Defies and strives

To keep the fire

kindled within. 

Tussle

A foreign flavour

A distinct aroma

Tickling

Beckoning

Follow?

Abandon?

Four walls

a roof

a window to peep out

And feet tied to bedposts,

Home?

Shelter?

Security or freedom

Stark slumber or restless belonging?

Destination or wayward discoveries?

Oh! The tussle!

Give up or give in?

A Ray of Hope

Between night and day

There lurks a ray

Scared of dark and light

Putting up a lone fight

To remain aloof and survive

Outside the realm of strife

That marks shine and moor

Persevering against the lure

of being adopted by the Sun

as a sparkle that can stun

bright twinkling stars

and timid moon with scars…

The night too can claim

the ray to be tame

and follow the Milky Way

to be lost in the spray

of white wave rippling through the sky!

Oh why! Oh why?

The ray cannot be its own

Survive, thrive, though forlorn

Can’t there be

Without the tapestry,

A life beyond the known-

a life that has borne

the struggle for it to be

What it could never be…

The choice of light or night

A battle that it could not fight

Nor give up too…

Because such rays, there are only few.

The Un- Understood!

Above questions
Beyond answers
                in between
                the lost, and found
                there floats a thought -
un-deciphered
un-traced
un-wanted.

It is not meaningless-
this thought,
but beyond comprehension
                        of the mind
                         it occupies
                         which flies
off in different directions
every moment
un-able
                       to stay put
                       on a cause
                    or, a thought -
that is above questions
beyond answers
                      in between
                      the lost, and found.
                      Profound,
it may be-
but in truth,
un-understood.

बहुत दिनों से सन्नाटा है!!

बहुत दिनों से सन्नाटा है
ना कोई लफ्ज़ गिरे
ना हवाओं पे तैरती गुफ्तगू ही पहुँची
खामोशी भी चुप है
कुछ कहती नही
आवाज़ में सिमटी मुलाक़ात भी
अब मयस्सर नही
क्या हुआ
अल्फाज़ों के सिरे खुल गये...
या शब्दों की डोर
चिटक गयी कहीं?

बहुत दिनों से सन्नाटा है
आपकी आहट भी नही गूँजी
कारवाँ का सफ़र तो इधर कभी रहा ही नही
अब तो इक्का दुक्का मुसाफिर भी
इस राह से गुज़रते नही...
पथ्हर चुभते होंगे शायद,
ज़मीन पे पाओं रखते ही...

पर अब तो बहुत दिन हुए
किसी चुभन या कसक ने भी साँस नही ली यहाँ...
क्या हुआ-
रह भूल गयी,
या अब पांच्छियो ने
उड़ते रहने की ही ठानी है?

बहुत दीनो से सन्नाटा है-

किसी परवाज़ का अक्स भी नही उतरा
ढलती धूप के साथ फलक से...

शायद, अब इस शजर पे घोंसले नही बनेंगे कभी!

Going Back

I walk the one way street
narrow and confined
you want me to turn,
go back and visit
alleys
I left behind...
how can I?

what we once built
with sweat, passion
and love
is now
a nest for
homing pigeons
- vagabonds have moved on...

am I afraid of the past?
or scared of history?
scarred maybe,
from time gone by?
no.
I survive
in the moment
as it passes
caressing my palms
I do not want to hold back
what has gone already...

There is joy
in unknown
mystery in undiscovered...
there are new paths to tread
up, ahead,
narrow and confined,
they may be...
but exhilarating, nonetheless,
and you want me
to go back, and visit
alleys
I left behind....
how can I?
Why should I?