Poetry

                                         

अगर मैं एक मोर होता

                                                     (children's poem)

अगर मैं एक मोर होता

तो जब भी यह आसमान रोता

मैं अपने पंख लहरा कर

सुनहरे रंगो का ताज बना कर

नाच उठता खिलखिला कर

अपने मस्त पैरो को हिला कर

झूम-झूम कर बयां करता

इस धरती की सुंदरता

परे रहता पढ़ाई से

रोज़ की भागम-भागी से

वन में रहता घुमता

और ज़िन्दगी के मज़े चूमता

खाने में ज़रूर झिजकता

स्कूल और घर को मिस भी करता

खिलौनों की मुझे याद सताती

वैनिला आइस-क्रीम भी बहुत याद आती

तो शायद मैं ऐसे ही ठीक हूँ

बेहतर है अभी मैं ऐसा ही रहू

बाद की बात देखी जाएगी

तब भी अगर ये इच्छा मुझे भाएगी

तो मैं भगवान से पूछुंगा

उनसे गुज़ारिश करूंगा

की मुझे मोर बना दे

रंग बिरंगे पंख दिला दे

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My Pet Animal

(a poem written for pre-schoolers)

                                                            

I have a dinosaur, big and strong.

He has tall legs and a tail very long.

He is a diplodocus, huge and fat.

His brain is smaller than a rat.

His neck goes up high in the sky.

He is smart but sometimes shy.

He eats leaves, trees and ferns.

Food is all for which he yearns.

He swallows stones to digest his food.

I play with him when he is in a good mood.

                                            ----------------------------------------------

Truth of Life

On a morning glory,

A red rose blooms.

Its fragrance spreads across

all the open rooms. 

Suddenly a storm blows

and takes it away

Across the vales and hills

it makes its way.

But, ultimately, it falls

on a deserted place.

Its life ends

It loses its grace.

Man comes to the world

with his body and soul.

He works hard himself

and achieves his goal.

He gains name, fame,

position and wealth.

But inevitably all these

leads him to death.

He gives up everything

he has won

He comes alone and

goes alone.

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I thought

I thought of a thought

when I was caught

up in a reverie. 

The result was naught

though I tried a lot

to write some poetry.

I thought of a beautiful flower

in the midst of a bower

with rose red petals.

But my dream was soon over

as the clock struck the evening hour

it was time to set the kettles.

I thought of a sea-side

where I wished to abide

unconscious of now.

But my thought soon died

Ended my dream ride

I do not know how.

I thought of a long train

moving along a mountain

producing light and signal.

Suddenly, it came to my brain

the idea was mundane

and the theme was dull.

I thought and thought

but nowhere sought

an objective to proceed.

With my mind I fought

and at last I got

that nothing was conceived.


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Monsoon

The fragrance of moist land,

The glistening of wet sand,

The dancing droplets on grass,

At the gate, the crouching guard,

The drenched dog wagging its tail,

Dropping on the roof, the stones of hail,

Small children in plastic raincoats,

Cars floating on roads like boats,

Birds hiding among bunches of leaves,

When I see this all, my heart heaves.

The beggar hiding inside his rags,

The old man gathering his bags,

The shopkeeper closing down the shutter,

The sound when clouds clutter,

Make me feel how rich are monsoons,

A guise of God's blessings and boons.

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Love

Cloistered inside a shell

For long had lived my heart

Until one fine morning

Love struck it with its dart.

The shell broke into pieces

I stepped out of my world

My mind began floating

My bookish senses dulled.

You put yourself in front of me

So that I could explore

The bud changed into a flower

That it was not before

A new journey commenced

With two perfect strangers,

Loving each other in ways

That cared for no dangers.

There was torment in mind

But heart ruled over head.

For destiny justifies it

In heaven couples are made.

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The Wait

The world is not enough for you and me,

Let us go to a place where you can see

How much my heart craves for your love

It’s a secret between me and the celestial gods ’bove.

So many summers, have I waited for your call

You spoke to me to tell you'd marry in the fall.

I knew I loved you more than that white man.

He had money and power, I was poor and tan.

You didn’t even think of me for a moment.

I was a man who lived in your life on rent.

I spent from my little earnings for your company.

But, my feelings for you couldn’t defeat money.

I felt like a lost man, when you left me.

I thought, without you, life had ended for me.

Then, one day you return'd, spring came into my life.

You cried into my arms, you were no more his wife.

You appeared shattered, like a tender child

You started to unravel all the sorrows you’d piled

I wanted you to stop. I couldn’t take it more.

I spoke to him, but he called you a whore.

I hit him hard, and he started to bleed.

He died on spot, and I had nothing to plead.

I spent my life, secluded in the prison.

I had killed a man; that was enough reason.

Now, I am back; my hair is grey.

Yet, I am hopeful and waiting for the day

When you will accept me for my love for you.

I can wait, but the years in my life are few.

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Wish I Could ...

Had he understood my mind,

Had he not been so blind,

What remained unsaid by me,

One day he could definitely find.

But, he refused to wait so long

Though I did him no wrong

I just wanted him to see

My feelings for him were strong.

My silence might have been a blunder,

Wish I could actually surrender,

Embrace him, fall on my knee,

Our love could have been a wonder!

Like a solitary reaper, I wait,

Want to know what's in my fate,

Wishing if sometime we'll be

With each other, even if it's late.

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Ecstasy

I kept walking in the restless night
My shadow went ahead of me in the tranquil light
My mind was fidgety, yet I was composed 

At least that was the way I posed.

I kept walking with the gun held tight
My head on my shoulders sat upright
My figure was statuesque, yet I was excited
For my soul within was fumed & ignited.

I was confident that I was right
But the whisper around was too quiet
It was melodic no longer, yet it was bold & strong
For a moment I felt I might be wrong.

I could not keep off my mind that sight
I had run fast to avoid a fight
But I was passionate, young & immature
Now I could be genteel but not pure.

Life around me was only black & white
I walked fast to escape the plight
My belief had changed, fear was an insistent presence
It was worthwhile to endeavour nonsense.

I felt within myself a strength & might
Had I reached tolerance’s height?
The air was breezy, my mind was daisy
Could I define this moment as ecstasy?

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