~ Serenading your unsung Aubade, Love … ~

~ Serenading your unsung Aubade, Love … ~

Hide N’ seek,

Shall we austerely play again?

In the shrubby courtyard of our ripen romance,

Entwined in alleys of ardor, winding in lanes, so coy,

Iron gates of curbs and bends, Oh so impasse ..

Who shall be meek?

You, me, or this noon so bleak?

Blindfolding US again,

One more lie, let’s so pretend,

I shall sheepishly Serenade, ‘I love you, baby,

Deeper, richer, thicker than,

Even when this silky azure shall wan ..’

Behind that blushing pillar, a finger on your impatient lips,

Keep a fairer veneer, as if, nothing did I say ..

Softest sky only shall truly know, of our gloomy vow ..

Would you, too, coo an unsung Aubade, never listened to,

‘My Love, your breaths,

They keep me such alive,

That with every breath, I take your name ..’

I shall whisper in the echoing womb of the sea,

It was and never could be, WE …

This way, I promise,

We’d open, swirl and whisk our hearts — again and yet again,

And let the warm love ooze brimming over, froth and skim,

Without touching the other’s soul … may be …

So, I sing to myself as the babe twilight flits and Moon melts,

‘I love you, baby, dearer to my breaths … and much dearer than that …’

I said it, once again … Would you hear thither?

Hither, your unsung Aubade … I would hear … always!

~ Don’t wanna go … ~

~ Don’t wanna go … ~

Going away,

Is what I despise ..

Not that,

I've been in love with you,

Nor even,

I love you — now,

But maybe, someday,

Heeding to your softest murmurs,

I'd have,

Fallen for you,

Like a wishing star, so lone,

In a distant sky,

Achingly gazing at you,

From a distance, afar ...

Had I stayed,

Any longer,

Any more,

On the other side,

Of the door, ajar!

~ .. na raha … ~/ ~ .. no more … ~

~ .. na raha … ~

*

Murawwat O waasta, usse, bay-tadbeer na raha,

Taab e nigah e muhabbat, wo’ yak tasveer na raha ..

**

Raaz-o-niyaz ka hona, kabhi khawab khawab tha,

Chup chup ke mustafeed hona, ab taqdeer na raha ..

***

Goya chaahat thi iss taalib ki, likhna, aab-e-zar se,

Mazkoor jo kiya daerah e raaz, to’ tahreer na raha ..

****

Chashm-barah phirte they, raazdaan karen kise kise,

Yun barhena hue fir raaz, rawaaj e taa'beer na raha ..

*****

Laaghar la'ilaaj tajribah hi aksar raahat-e-jaan hua,

Warna e'jaaz-e-maseehaaee ho, aisa taqreer na raha ..

******

Zindaan e justuju main, yun humain, aseer na karo,

Mana daad-faryaadi hone se bada, fir taqseer na raha ..

*******

Faaqah-mast rehne do, na jalo ab iss bay-parwahi se,

Zauq e khuraag e rooh kahan, ki aisa takseer na raha ..

********

Daakhila mile ‘ainy’ jo ‘gar, shaukiya mujtahid banen,

Khair, mausiki e ishq hai, aisa nazahir tafseer na raha …

*********

~ .. no more … ~

*

Being close, seeing him, is by chance no more,

My aflame eyes in love, he, a picture no more ..

**

Having an intimate talk, once such a fantasy,

Secretly earning his presence, a fate no more ..

***

His adorer, desired to write him, in ink of gold,

Chronicling this secret’s orb, a script no more ..

****

Impatient was I, to reveal my secrets to whom,

So naked got they, a custom to predict no more ..

*****

Thin, too ill a experience, often comforted my soul,

To become a miraculous cure, such a speech no more ..

******

In the dungeon of desires, do not captivate me,

A fair appealer, even if I, a bigger sin no more ..

*******

Famished lover If, don’t you green-eye my blithe,

How to taste food of soul, such a filler no more ..

********

If possible, ‘ainy’, get in the school of reasoning,

Rendition of love, even if, a hidden sense no more!

*********

~ Jaal … ~

~ Jaal … ~

Woh,

Ya, uski eklauti parchayin,

Ya, shayad, donon hi,

Hath main donon ke,

Maheen jaal,

Koshish,

Dhoop ke bache khuche,

Mote chote tukdo’n ko,

Faansna,

Bandhana,

Peeche, cycle ke,

Aur, ghar le jaana …

Shayad apne seelte mansokh(obsolete) maskan(home) ke jaanib,

Woh ya uski eklauti parchayin, ya donon hi,

Sukhana chahte honge,

Kone main padi girya(sorrow) se geeli, lakdiyon ko,

Behadd ranjeeda(wretched) chulhe ki,

Saekna hoga kanse ke, munafiq(hypocrite) bartanon ko,

Jo ek muddat se kaayi khaa rahe hain,

Ranj(grief) main badzaar(evil) hue ja rahe hain …

Tabeeb(healer) banana hoga, papdhati deewaron ka,

Jo khuraag se batil(nullify) kar de, haqq(truth) ko,

Sabz ghafilana, kitna dil-paziir(pleasant) lagta hai na …

Dho dena chahte honge, apni bekali(restlessness) ko,

Uski zara zara si pighalti garmahat main,

Araasta(adorn) ho jayega sadaf(shell) e gosha taki …

Kehte hain ghurbat ki sifat(condition),

Tajaahul(pretense) e taqreeb(festival),

Kaafir ka kufr,

Sawaali ka sawaal hai,

Shaanon pe rakha, sayyad ka jaal hai …..

Kashakash(tug)  e raqeebana(adverse) haal hai ….

Phir kya … iraadat’n ussne ya uski parchayin ne, jaal phelaya,

Par, ek door chamakta sunhara gola, phir se usse nigal gaya …

Dhoop ke tukde, zameen pe ja gire … bikhar gaye …………

……….. woh aur uski parchayin, phir khaali hath laut gaye!

~ ‘Ussi Raat’ … ~

~ ‘Ussi Raat’ … ~

Jaane kyon,

Umar ke iss shafaq padav pe,

Pakk chuke baal,

Jhuriyon main panah pa chuki khaal,

Larazti, sahare ki chah rakhti, chaal,

Aur, yeh kamzor nazar sa, bebas haal,

Inn main, tumhare na hone ki kami,

Zyada khalne lagi hai …

Raaten, zyada siah lagtin hain ab…

Roz soti hoon,

Thakaan ko dhaankti,

Jabran muskurahat liye,

Sirhaane umeed ko thapkiyan de kar,

Ki yeh aakhri hogi …

Par khawaab main, har roz ke jaise, tum aa jate ho,

Raat ke do’ baje, chhat pe le jate ho,

Machine ki maheen binaawat wali chatayi pe litate ho,

Mera barf sa haath, naram haathon main le kar,

Nam payshaani ko, jawaan hothon se sehlakar,

Meri bechaeniyon ko garam tasalliyan odhate ho,

Yaad dilate ho,

Kaise humne barbas hazar koshishen ki thin,

Taaron ko gin’ne ki,

Phir haar kar, unke jagmag wajood ko nihaar kar,

Maine tumhare seene pe sir rakh diya tha,

Tab tumne badi sanjeed’gi O muhabbat se,

Mere uljhe gesuon main, ungliyan pherte hue,

Yeh kaha tha,

“Jaan, jo main na rahun kabhi,

Inn taaron main mujhe talaash karna,

Aise hi bas tum, qayamat tak, mujhe har raat gin’na,

Ki hum milenge,

Dobara milenge …”

Aur … yeh raat bhi shuao’n se pighal jaati hai,

Ek sondhi subah … khilti hui … mere liye …

Phir ‘Ussi Raat’ ka int’zaar le aati hai …..

Jab hum milenge … zaroor milenge ………..

~ Whisperings … ~

~ Whisperings … ~

O’ my precious Angel ………………

Glance once, unto my eyes,

Into thy soul, mine pries,

Wherefore, thou art such tired,

Therefore, art roughly wired ..

Precarious, thy wings are,

Quiver they, soaring none far..

How long wouldn’t thee stay?

Sleep, would thee, for a day?

In thy lips, I sigh, “touches woo,

Darkened room, fingers coo” ..

Close thy stone-heavy pearls,

Behold so, what dream curls …

Hold, my love, never forego,

And, shalt my breaths vow,

“No air shalt be any heavy,

Icy water would not levy,

No cool beach sans sands,

Boat, two oars, my hands” ..

Ah, my lovely eyes …………….

Stick to me, one more mile,

Let’s walk for just a while,

Together,

Shalt thy feather,

Be tucked safe in thy pretty dresser,

For a long life, and naught lesser,

In thy heart … my ‘whisperings’ … a promise!

~ Piya ~

~ Piya ~

Keevad,

Jharokha,

Dareecha,

Thoda thoda,

Maine diya moda,

Baant johun, piya teri,

Poora din guzra jaye,

Saanjh bhi tu na aaye,

Chaand sa munh fulahe,

Taare kaanon main latkaye,

Meri nath ka ek lashkara,

Jaise so-so dafa toot-ta tara,

Gaalon ki sachi-jhooti laali,

Kaare badal ne li nazar utari,

Shingar poora poora— sirf ek soona matha,

Bindiya ban ja tu,

Piya, more piya,

Baant johun main teri,

Nindiya sa ban ja na,

Palkhon main ghul ja re,

Choom le na ek baari,

Mera bhooda intezaar,

Meri bhooli bisri pyaas,

Main bikhre mogre si,

Mere antar-deh main pir ja re,

Ye’ rainn na beete —

Banaa ja na iss ko tu, aaj itni khaas,

Aa ja re tu, mere sapnon main hi,

Mere, thoda thoda paas!

~ .. tha … ~

~  .. tha … ~

*

Aankhen surkh, paani unn main kuch kam tha,

Kuen(well) sab sookh gaye, tappish zada ghum tha ..

**

Lal neeli uljhi dhaari ki kameez , chaal lachak,

Dhoop pi dali naskh(black) chashmon se, kya dum tha ..

***

Rukh pe thehra shams ka lams, ankhen masoom,

Haye, aisi saadgi, ghaans ka zauq(taste) bhi num tha ..

****

Bole jo, dayaar(place) mere pehlu ka tatole hai woh,

Daman mera gulshan e bahar, woh gulfam(gardner) tha ..

*****

Ajr mila ‘ainy’, tafreeh O kaatibat ka, tavazo(humility) se,

Labon se chalkte lafz, sab main tafseerat e ‘hum’ tha!

******

~ Last Night … ~

~ Last Night … ~

Soupçon,

Of the warm red wine,

Or, the lone taste,

Of the lingering icy kiss,

On thy gasping nude lips ..

Dancing flames,

Licking the gloss from,

Stacked, oiled wood-logs,

In thy cloudy iris eyes ..

Roguish rain,

Playing and prodding,

Honeysuckle enriched,

That rose-scented air,

On thy summery skin ..

Muffled mêlée,

Wild, with vortex soft,

Spinning and parleying,

With the damp serenity,

Of thy lush brown locks ..

Wish thee could hear my heart beating,

Whispering so loud … to none, but thou,

For this is only — only how,

 I fancied making love to thee ….. Last night …

~ ‘Gulab’, ek asmat frosh(prostitute) ka naam … ~

~ ‘Gulab’, ek asmat frosh(prostitute) ka naam …  ~

Phoonka tha jab byaar ne,

Tehniyon pe, oss ki,

Lams e shuaon se,

Jo kamaal hua … bemisaal hua …

Husn e arq e gulab O laali,

Jaana, woh tum ho … haan wo’ gulab tum ho ..

Aasmanon ko dekh tum muskayi,

Khilta shabnami dekh, rahat maine payi ..

Main pankhudi hua, tum se judi … sehmi sharmayi udi udi ..

Ek kirchan tumhare bikhre shabab ki ..

Malmal ke bistar pe jo naqsh hain,

Pichle paher ki tumhari jalti karwaten, tumhari seeli neenden,

Woh silwaten mujhe tasleem hain … jaan O azeez hain ..

Shokh, gulbadan, naazukiyat, dilnashiin, uljhan e nafz, ulfat e jaan

 … aur kitne t’aaruf… kitne naam …

‘Gulab’ se hi diljale Sarifon(customer) ne sirf na tumhe pehchana …

Taraashen, chaaten, kaaten, baaten tumhen,

Rukh pe thehri nazr e gulfam(Gardner), ghaafil musafiron si ..

Gulaal sa jism ye,

Aagosh e naseem(breeze) main, bosa(kiss) e mausam liye,

Dhundlake(twilight) main nikharta hai … sanwarta hai dhundlake tak ..

Na choo kar bhi tujh se gulab hoon, lajawaab hoon,

Ye jawaab kyon ba-asaani milta hai?

Chidakta hai, chadta hai khoob ye rang, kyon sab pe?

Ye bhi ek bada hi zinda misaal e malaal hoon … main …

Uff … muhabbat e gulaal e ‘Gulab’ nai …

Rawayat(tradition) prast kirdaar,

Faqat murawwat e b’azaar,

Asmat froshi(prostitution) ka ek adad kharedar hoon main …..

Ek koshish … Ghazal likhne ki ..

Ek koshish … Ghazal likhne ki ..

*

Agarche faisla iss baar, mere haq main hota,

Mahalon ka naghma, Ghurbat main na sota ..

**

Afreen(praised) hota khoob taaj, kaasah e gadaa’i(beggar’s bowl) bhi,

Payendi main khan’kta sikka bhi na khota ..

***

Raaton ki peeth pe sawar, ujala runk(pauper) banta,

Sajdon main girr, paeshani ragad kitna rota ..

****

Muthi bhar zaffraan(saffron), jaebon main bhar lata,

Khizaaon(autumn/fall) main mausam e gul yun kar bota ..

*****

Taa'beer(interpretation) khud apni kaashaanah(dwelling) O mazaar ka,

Mashkoor(grateful) na kisi haal karta, raqqasa(dancer) ka tota ..

******

Tadfeen(burial) ke waaste, tayyar kar mitti ‘ainy’ ki,

Bekasi(feebleness) ke chust libaas utar, ashqon se de dhota !

*******

~~ Only if, had they given verdict in my favor,

Rich melody wouldn’t have starved to sleep ..

By praising king’s crown and beggar’s bowl too,

No last coin shall see the pain of being drowned ..

Mounting the night, light may become a pauper,

Thus, prostrating in prayers, crying unto dusk ..

A rich handful of saffron blooms in my pocket,

Hence, should I sow spring to reap in autumn?

My dwelling, my grave, so am I very nuanced,

No dancer’s parrot shall prophesize thus my end ..

Now, let ‘ainy’ get ready for being so entombed,

Denuding the clothe of infamous vulnerability,

Tears would hence give the very last nude bath! ~~

~ Mujhe Mila .. ~

~ Mujhe Mila .. ~

*

Yun nakkalon ke hujoom main, ek chehra mujhe mila,

Aandhi be-niyato’n ki, woh phir bhi thehra mujhe mila ..

**

Jo dikhta nahin, usse meri inn khamoshiyo’n main sun,

Sunne jo chali main, toh mujh sa na behra mujhe mila ..

***

Jhatak ke zulfen shaanon se, zubaan pe laga liya taala,

Chand ki chandni main lipta, thanda sehra mujhe mila ..

****

Bani titli, jakdi gayi, bani chidiya, sayyaado’n ne ghera,

Banjar zameen ke tukde pe, kaise sabz pehra mujhe mila?

*****

Basti yahan sirf rangrezon ki, mushkilaat e jaan e ‘ainy’,

Uss chehre se milna faqat, rang kitna gehra, mujhe mila!

******

Our Frond’s Story!

Our Frond’s Story!

Sshhh …

Here,

Come here ..

Lie down beside this erstwhile, barn-less, broken wood window,

On this goose-down pillow that mimics far cotton-candy cloud,

Tch tch .. no .. don’t gaze at the peripheral painted red brick-wall,

Face the open door, unpainted; smelling of dust, rust and wheat hay …

Tell me, when you’re ready … I’ve got a relic story to narrate …

A story of one feeble fragile foliaged fern leaf … Frond, its name ..

Frond, born in the home — also called, Epiphytic Bird's nest fern ..

Pinnated like a fledgling’s feather, soft light yellow feather —

Frond had one stipe and fifteen blades, small and long, all jade ..

But, he so failed to learn the petty teachings taught on sprouting,

All Young fern leaves but him, could coil into a livid green spiral,

Like a shepherd's crook or a bishop's crozier or one fiddle head ..

Every other leaf on the fern, had twenty, only long, long blades,

All could flawlessly sway, dodge, move, slither, wither, but fly,

Pinioned off the flight feather like any yet so eager waterfowl,

Hence, so contentedly staying at home to be one flowering fern ..

But, our plucky Frond, he so wanted to fly … off to other lands,

And, forgo the bearing of spores, being one of those fertile leaflets ..

Ah, they’d thus tap his forehead, to get him back to his senses full,

Or, would ask, when their sluggish sap turned so bitter, so acrid,

‘What the heck do you desire from your life, dreary fool Frond?’

And, our shy Frond would smile and say, ‘I would never know’ …

He knew, always knew, only was he afraid of the label — ‘Mad’,

Betwixt kept mum, longing for the day for someone to comprehend ..

On one heavy day, when ruby clouds were fully awake in sky dark,

She came singing, gliding smoothly, past the trees and insipid logs ..

Sush! Listen! Nor did she ask our Frond, what the heck he so want,

Instead, took all his hands in her hand, setting off to distant land ..

Never speaking, much in love — fresh melody breeze and our Frond,

Such was she precious — read his want, before it could be truly said!

*** 'Frond', also a botanical term/name for a Fern leaf. The detailing done here comprises of the basis functionality of the 'Frond' as a fertility/flowering leaf to the Fern plant/tree.