End of an Era

"While the lasts of the sand trickle down in the hour glass,
Outside, the leaves spiral into an up-draft 
- the grandchildren are now fathers, husbands, mothers and wives,
I woke up from my childhood..."

20th March '16

Pangs of bereavement

"Sambhalne de mujhe ae na-ummeedi..
ye kya qayamat hai,
ki daman-e-khayal-e-yaar bhi mujhse chhoota jaa raha hai"

- Ghalib

Kasak

Dil ki bhari jebon me,
kuch purani yaadon ke sikke tatol raha hun...

Geeton ke kuch dhundle bol
saason me fir aake tehrein hain...

Kuch kisse main aaj bhi dohrata hun,
par kuch siskiyon ko maine khamosh kar diya hai...

Syah keson me chandi ki anginat katarein hain,
par tumhari ankhon ki shararat ne mera bachpan aj bhi zinda rakha hai...

Sochta hun, 
agar apni kamzoriyon ki dhund ke pare dekh paya,
to kya uss kamre me aaj bhi tumhe apni chhati pe bilakta paunga ?

Tumse nazrein mila to lun,
par kya usme vo chehak lauta paunga ?

Shayad tum mujhe maaf kar pau,
aur apni yaadon ke sindook khol,
mere khayal ki dhool se chheenk kar fir muskuraao...

Zakhm kuredunga to dard hoga,
isliye, 'jo beeta, vo kyun beeta'- iss kasak ke sath, 
main ab alvida leta hun...

7th Feb '16