Monsoon (7)

Its been long now.
Last time when it was monsoon
You were lying on grass near esplanade
And then rain hits you.
Your green salwar get mixed with ashes of cloud.
But as it rains, you get washed
And you were left green again.
Do you still love rain?

Its been long now.
I was returning from college
When your wind whispered me,
"Wherever you go, you will remain for me".
Then there was a thunder, and you leave.
And your tears wet the path behind.
Do you still cry for me?

Its been long now.
I was on the terrace of my house
When leaving behind sun you came,
Angry, disturbed, broken.
I can still remember that evening.
When you left, it was dark
Only few fireflies can be seen.
Perhaps they were last hope that remained.
Do you still get angry with me?

Monsoon (6)

I mix some rain with the ink at this afternoon
And then start to write story of another monsoon.

Today let it be rain, sunlight be on otherday
Cloudy sky, lonely now, stand at my bay.

Table is flooded, words are smudged, I'm marooned
I find monsoon living inside another monsoon.

As I move I see faces, washed in a row
Someone shouted on my terrace, there is a rainbow.

This rain can travel, space and time, such a spray
Suddenly I hear, teacher say, 'Today is rainy day".

Monsoon (5)

It's been long
I have lost my affection for rain.
The shirt that was left outside
I find rain has touched it last night.
I'm not a poet but a common man
Who walks on footpath everyday
Helplessly stand on footboard of crowded bus
Bargain vegetables at the evening market.
During Monsoon I feel like sail boat.
My room gets filled with monsoon clouds
I find streams trickling from everywhere.
How much I try still clock runs ahead of me
How much I try still my son miss his sleep
How much I try still vegetables are less on plate.
But still I sleep with hope -
As long as the windows remain open
As long as that guava tree remains green
As long as smell of hot kichri comes from kitchen
A different monsoon is waiting for me.

Monsoon (4)

It was raining like anything
Mother took me home
And for the first time
I have my own family, a roof, a root.

It was raining like anything
Our room was flooded
And we tried our best to drive the water
I lost my shadow, my sister.

It was raining like anything
I first find you at bus stand
And my throat was dry, I felt cold
Then it was flood, my boat was driven to unknown.

Now again it is raining like anything
Again you will find me changed
I will be washed, drowned, lost
But will come afresh, new, unknown.

Monsoon (3)

It's now dark
And pouring at its best;
Washed away faces
Washed away places
Washed away minds
On the road.
Drops of tar, falling from sky
Drops of yellow, blocking thy eye
I'm just, feeding the rain
I'm just, bleeding the rain.
Touch my heart
It's dry.
Touch my mind
It's not bright.
Walking on road
Soaking the rain
Searching my monsoon
Lost in my lane.

Monsoon (2)

While you walk along the alley
Stars kiss your head,
Below flow the streams of joy
You are alone, draped in red.

You are wet, you are in hurry
As confused rain sings for you,
Clouds gossip among them
Who is this lady wet in the blue?

As rain soaks the cafe of Paris
Give a sip in your lathe,
I remain fade, lost in ages
I'm cold, soaked in my bed.

And on your way back to home
Stars are scattered hither and thither,
All that remains after the wash
It's just a watermark nothing more.

Monsoon (1)

Rain greets me through my window
Wets me on my bed,
Today I feel no warmth of sunshine
But splash of cold on my head.

Night before was suffocating
I could hardly breathe air,
Salt on my eye, salt on my body
It was salt everywhere.

But morning has turned to be sweet
Cold breeze soothes my air,
Taking an umbrella I come down
To find you in your last letter.

I used to name every rainy day
Since each was different from another,
Now they all look the same
Somehow colors are stolen from water.

Trance

Everything seems to be blur
Memories get smudged on timeline
I'm in trance!

I feel like standing underneath
the star that witnessed my promise.
But time is running slow at this hour
Of life; 
I'm late my friend! I'm late!

Dreams are now clinging in drowsy eyes
Am I alive? Are you real?
Everything seems to be blurr
Or, is it just tears in my mind!

Birthday

Today is my birthday
Ripe, old and wise;
by one more year now on.
One more candle on the cake
One more time blowing it out at one go.
Today is just any other day
When life get shared and celebrated
with peers. I smile and shrug
as wishes come from every nook and corner.
But looking at mirror when left alone
I find my image taking discourse -
Twenty years have already passed,
And another twenty will pass like this.
Are you happy! Are you satisfied!
Never know in next twenty you'll last or not!
So set for the sail, get the wind
create moments as many as could be
Since only in moments you will live!

Silent

Silent
Tired I'm
As nothing left to fight for.

Silent
Can't express 
As I don't feel anymore.

Silent
Stopped complaining
Will adapt with the changes.

Silent
Learned how to console
Will never expect anything.

Silent
Trying to forget
As loving you was a mistake.

One Sided

I'll not ask to listen
All that I say everyday
But don't ask me to shut
As thoughts torment, try to express.

I’ll not ask to look
All that I scribble on notebook
But don’t refuse to lend a pen
When ink dries, but mind still wet.

I'll not ask to care
When I feel bad and sit on my chair
But allow me to lend thy hands
When you need help and none is there.

I’ll not ask to walk beside
Since our paths are far apart
Still somehow if we come across
A warm smile is just required.

Finding you

Just like this
Everyday, every time, in everything,
I find a new you within you.

The poem that you suddenly recite
The rule that you follow to break rules
The eyes that shine like phosphorus
The smoke that surrounds you in the dark
The smell that still lingers in your room
The laugh that rises above all voice
The fire that burns your heart everyday
The cold that makes you silent in between

You are a distant star, far far from my world.
And as I compare,
I end up finding a new me in my life.

Confess

Do I need to confess?

Whatever I sing 
It is just the tune you left incomplete
Whatever I write
It is just the words shared between you and me
Whatever I draw
It is just the blunt imitation of your grace.

Do I need to confess?

Didn't you notice my voice 
Quiver in your presence
Didn't you look at my eyes
That dilates once you stare at them
Didn't you notice my body
That get conscious when you are around.

Still you want me to confess?

Let me tell you
Every little gesture
arching eyebrows
sideways smile
your obsession, your oddity
All are mine
As they are yours.

I'm just a clone of you
Is it not sufficient?

Words spoken in silence

Today I will not ask you to love
Till date I have shouted for it
Love me or leave me!
But now I find the war has ended
Just leave me now, leave me!
I will never ask you to care
Will never expect you to hold thy hand
All that I have desired is meaningless now
I feel I don't deserve anything more.
Let me go to a far away land
Where life and death is same for me
I shall be fine, so fear not
This monochrome life suits me now!

Fire

Fire is burning me
All day, all night!
But will never turn me to ashes
It's only pain that continues.

Fear not, this fire belongs to me.
Your fire is in your kitchen stove;
Hot chicken soup ready to relish
My soup has turned cold long ago.

Something ends like this

Everything was fine.
Each day while we came across,
we shook our hand and said
"How are you?"
And then find our way,
giving a nice smile to each other.
Then one day it happened -
Now we come across
but hands don't meet again,
the eyes don't meet again,
neither the smile get exchanged,
and we leave each other.
Or, at least try to!

My little friend

He is soft. Little. A stress buster ball.
Wherever I go, he follows me.
Whatever lies he smells it
Then look at me as if he knows everything.
He entangles my leg, sleeps in my lap
I share with him whatever good I have.
At night he comes close where I sleep
Perhaps search his mother within me.
Sometimes I think its better to take him back
Life is hard now, can he bear that
Suddenly I feel silence everywhere,
Sitting on a couch, no one there.
He is my little pet, a gust of cold wind
Though I shiver, still life needs him.