Your Ecstasy

In the cacophony of this world I can hear you,
Somehow every other sound fades out,
All I can hear is just your angel voice...

You be far or near my dear,
I just close my eyes and you are here.

I am scared to tell this world,
I don't think they'll understand me,
Even with my eyes open, you is all I see.
Everyone, everything is just you. nothing else.

I am scared of looking at the mirror now,
Who in my reflection would actually be?
Like a whirling dervish I dance to your ecstasy.
So much that I seem to be going in to this trance,
Eyes open or shut all I see it you,
In the cacophony of this world, all I hear is you.

Across the Street

Across the street I see them smile,
Across the street I see them enjoy their wine.
Across the street life seems to be better,
Across the street they seem to have good weather.

So I cross the street to experience the same,
All this effort was after-all in vain.
Just when I make myself comfortable and rest my feet,
Across the street, a mirror is what I see.

From Shadow to Sun

People like me and you,
Are now my dear very few.
How many free birds do you see,
Questioning and looking at things curiously?

There is this connection we share,
Which in today's world is very rare.
You read my mind like nobody else does,
To you my heart belongs thus.

There are times when just your presence makes me weak,
And through words I cannot say you see,
I then wait for our eyes to meet,
Through them, to each other, a 1000 words we can speak.

Even though I know of the above's existence,
I still have this unknown question,
which keeps me from saying what is true,
that you belong to me and I belong to you.

But now that I see time flies by,
and from each other we become shy,
I'll walk two steps towards you oh treasured one,
Hoping you'll come out of the shadow to meet me in the sun.

Queen and a Pauper

Oh the queen of my dreams,
Don't be so kind on this pauper.
The old man tells me of you,
She is the wind, you can't stop her.

the other day you smiled and said thank you,
I swear it melted even this tough stone,
Awaiting a few words or to hear your angelic voice,
I keep glancing at my phone.

Everything you do or say,
seems an act of perfection,
Even the heavens speak,
speak of your affection.

Sitting below the Banyan tree,
Of you I was as always thinking.
Every second spent thinking of you,
In your love I was even more sinking.

I turned to my past, my teacher till now,
asking, with this, how should I go about?
You know if I take a step ahead what happens,
how do i get rid of this never ending doubt...

Carpe diem - A Life Extraordinary

People like you and me come and go,
In our lives, we make a few friends and foes.
But then there are those ladies and gents,
Who even non believers would think of as god-sent.
One such angel I remember first seeing dressed as an old lady,
Who for his kids in the movie was no less than a fairy.
Talking of fairies, later I saw him have a tiny fairy friend,
In that movie he could fight off the "Hook that bent".

He also had this ability to inspire and show the way,
Be it by going 'Hunting' or by suggesting to 'seize the day'.
On screen and in life he had his special way to heal,
The way he played Patch Adams, in that you could genuinely feel.
I remember hearing his voice as that of a genie,
Alas that genie of Aladdin is now really free...
A personification of "laughter is the best medicine",
He has now flubbered away from this world of sin.

Very few in their life time touch lives and hearts of millions,
You were one of them. You will be missed, Robin Williams.

The Dream Mode

In the darkness just thinking of you acts as a source of light.
In this struggle of everyday life gives me strength to fight.

I look up at the sky and think of what could I do?
Oh what could I do? To make this bond as strong as new?

Everything around us has changed, and perhaps we have as well,
But purity and strength still in this bond dwell.

Walking on this silent midnight street,
I feel goosebumps, from my head to feet.

I hear you singing that song to me,
Or am I imagining this scene?

No it can't be. It's you. I know. Not a hallucination,
But I still need to muster courage and need inspiration,
To turn around to see if it is you for true,
But these days, confidence in me is few.

I instead choose to keep walking along this road,
Just waiting for a hint from you, to switch back to dream-mode.

Cinnamon Smile

Everytime I am with you,

Even ten hours seem to be few.

I crack a hundred jokes and look towards you,

Did they bring a smile anew?

And then slowly I see you smirking,

Like a magic it seems to be working.

That one smile of you my dear,

Stays with me you be far or near.

I close my eyes or keep them open,

I smile to your smile, like to the smell of cinnamon.

I may have met more than a thousand people,

But I haven't seen a smile more sweeter.

Every person, I could understand, what makes them happy,

But when it comes to you I just become a little crappy.

Your smile, I think is most precious in this world,

Perhaps more precious than this world's worth.

It's more rare than finding a pearl in an oyster,

Or chances of me going to the moon to loiter.

Oh and when you start speaking,

My heart from my mouth seems to be peeking.

To know of the source of this angelic voice,

It would beat outside my body if it had a choice.

My mind it hopes one day it will know you better,

Whenever you're around it is unable to act clever.

And surrenders to your presence.

That is the level of your influence!

Situations like these, I hope to know of the future,

I don't like believing in the past - who acts like my life tutor.

Like always, I hope this is something different,

And for a change, is what I hope as the end.

Van Brandt Pt II

As the tower bell rings,

and to the violinist's tune we sing,

Van Brandt climbs the tower and sits on the ridge,

Of this tower which stands on the edge of Charles Bridge.

He watches as hundreds of people cross the river,

to this side and that, without a quiver.

Why this bridge and not any other?

It is afterall not a lover.

Few men chose and others followed,

Seems like most of us are afterall that hollow.

But then Van Brandt smiled because he realised,

Something that perhaps wasn't a surprise.

That he too like the hundreds of other men and women,

Will also have to cross the bridge in the end.

Van Brandt Pt I

Van Brandt,
He Ran.
He ran across the bridge,
And hid inside the windmill.
Through the window on the top floor,
He looked at the world he thought he had known.

Playing the violin he would attract admirers,
But would change the tune when someone came near.
He would run down the stairs,
Across the several stares.
And jump into the canal to be with the ducks,
Trying to runaway, he'd try his luck.

On the other side he met familiar faces,
Among whom he found traces,
Of the past he hoped would flow into his future,
Long forgotten, almost unknown creatures.
They sat and ate desserts of ginger and cinnamon,
The time they spent together, like before, was amazingly fun.

But then the time limit given to them,
Alas, came to an end.
Which made Van Brandt feel sad,
Because he genuinely enjoyed the time he had.
He wished he could have stayed there forever,
Who knows if he will see the creatures again ever.

So then Van Brandt,
He ran.
He ran across the bridge,
And hid inside the windmill.

The Way Out

As it subsides - the rain,

all the efforts that seem to have gone in vain,

and have been the cause of so many pains,

seem to lose the power they have till now gained.

As the clouds make way for a clear sky,

and the sun at its peak is about to shine,

I close my eyes to feel the warmth of the light.

to enjoy this freedom I earned in my own right.

Just as I close my eyes, I can see the sun,

turn into a spotlight to a scene seen by none.

Not even me - a dream shown by the power,

the power of the sun's light when it showers,

on this view, that seems like a dream even in my dream,

and I sit back to enjoy this beauty's cream.

Just then I hear this voice as that of a narrator,

who tries to explain what one sees in the theatre.

But the voice seems to be talking directly to me,

I look around but the source is nowhere to be seen.

I close my eyes in my dream again, to hear the voice,

who somehow made me make this choice.

It started with a simple sentence talking about reality.

Asking me what I thought of the setting I just saw in clarity?

"It was a dream of course! I don't think it was real!"

And the voice replied, "That isn't you talking but your fear.

What I just showed you was glimpse of what lies ahead,

Your reality, was by destiny, with this scene wed.

Don't let your belief in yourself die.

Take the wings of this dream and fly."

Right when the voice said this last line,

I opened my eyes to this baby's whine.

Who stopped as soon as he saw me awake,

When I wasn't sure what to make,

of this thing I just saw.

The thoughts still raw,

Questioning still, "Did really happen?"

My train came to a halt at the last station.

When I got down I looked around for the 'way out' sign,

With the doubts still in my confused mind.

I took an inspiration from the direction sign when I saw it,

Which for this confused thought, was perfect to sort it:

"Whenever you are in doubt, 

Remember, there is always a 'way out'."

नज़रो की कहानी

उनकी और हमारे नैन कुछ ऐसे मिले,

जैसे बंजर ज़मीन पर फूल हो खिले। 

कुछ उनकी नज़रो ने कहना चाहा,

और कुछ हमने सुनना चाहा।

क्या जाने की वह भी वाही सोच रहे थे,

जो हम चाहते थे वह हमसे कहें?

क्या वही दास्तान वह अपने मनन में लिख रहे थे,

जिसके हज़ारों पन्ने एक नज़र में हमने लिख दीये?

इस सोच में हम तब तक खोये रहे,

जब तक वह हमारी आँखों से ओझल  न हो गए।  

हमें लगा कि शायद यह एक शुरुआत है,

एक इशारा, जो ऊपरवाले की सौगात है। 

पर कहानी तो तभी ख़त्म हो गयी थी, 

जब उन्होंने अपनी आँखों पर चश्मे का पर्दा डाल लिया।

The Three Men at Percy Street

One day sitting by the window,
Something caught my eye; previously unknown.
Three smartly dressed men and their story,
Who stood in confidence on Percy Street, hoping to make history.
But before I could see what they were doing,
My mind over my senses started ruling.
And took me into this world I often go into,
Where my dreams and imagination belong to.

I started thinking of the three men and their lives,
Where do they live? Do they take the tube? Did they bring their wives?

I last visited this part of my world,
Six and a half years ago and these thoughts since were unheard.
But today again as I sit by the same window,
Something caught my eye; previously known.
Those three smartly dressed men and their story,
Still standing there, they did make history.

The Transformation

Walking in the woods I found a tiny wooden stick,

As I hit it against the tree, it turned into a brick.

Surprised, I hit that brick against a bigger tree,

And that brick turned into a stone for free.

I understood these woods have magical powers,

And then was waiting for the rain showers.

As soon as it started to pour heavily,

I lifted the stone high up for it to meet the rain happily.

I soon felt some black powder on me roll,

lo behold! the stone had turned into coal! 

Just when I was about to throw it away,

With those pieces of coal gone astray.

I somehow understood the story here,

The final moral, I knew was somewhere near.

Searching all around I finally found it,

The open space; by the sun it was brightly lit.

I held the piece of coal very carefully,

Which turned into an ember, but really slowly.

It fell out of my hands that bright stone,

I just lay there besides it all alone.

When I woke up, I couldn't find it somehow.

I thought it would have cooled down by now.

And that would have been end of the story,

But then through the sand grains, in all its glory,

I could see something shine brightly,

I said to myself, "na, this is highly unlikely.

It can't be what I think it is," But I was wrong,

Something that I just picked up walking along,

Had turned into the most precious gem on this island,

the biggest ever known to mankind; a diamond.

Jai Ho

A small gesture can make a big difference,
A reply from a person of influence,
can bring this sense of joy to someone,
who may be known to almost none!
and in turn get inspired to practice and preach,
to every person that he can reach,
that instead of a thank you my friend,
you could help the society mend.

Go help three people and ask them to help three more,
till the time this practice to the whole world is known.
And who knows, we might be able to create a land,
where to pick a fallen person, there are atleast 3 hands. 

उनमें हम, हममें वो

कुछ ऐसी अदा से उन्होंने हमें देखा,
कि उन्हें मैं बस देखता ही रहा...
कब दिन से रात और रात से दिन हुआ,
यह भी लगा जैसे एक जुआ...
कब वो गए, कब वो लौट के सामने बैठे,
कैसे बताएं? वोह अब हमारी आँखों में हैं रह्ते…

उनकी हंसी ने फिर हमें ऐसे आके छुआ,
लगा जैसे उसने मानली हमारी अनकही दुआ...
शरमाते हुए, वोह ज़मीन की ओर देखने  लगे,
वोह संगेमरमर के टुकड़े भी मानो जैसे आईने बन गए,
उनकी मुस्कराहट को हम तक पहुंचा ही दिया…
फिर भी हमसे एक कदम आगे न लिया गया…
उस दुनिया से अनजान, मासूम नज़ारे को देख,
हमने खुदा से बोला, हमारी सांस बस अभी तू ले…

इस पल से ज़यादा ख़ुशी का पल,
फिर शायद न आये कल…
इस पल को अपने ज़हन में कैद करे,
उनकी रौशनी को अपने में भरे,
आज आने दे तेरे पास,
अब नहीं बची कोई आस…
उसे पा लें या तुझे पा लें,
दोनों के साथ में ही तो जन्नत है…

नक़ाब-ए-परदा

इस दुनिया में सभी ने ऐसा नक़ाब पहना है,
कि सच और झूट का अंतर आखिर किसे पता है?
इस सवाल का जवाब जो ढूंढ़ने जाओगे अरूण,
बस सवाल के जवाब को ही ढूँढ़ते रेह जाओगे
आओ ज़रा तशरीफ़ रखो हमारी भी महफ़िल में,
आज इस प्याले के परदे में छिपे जवाब को ही सच मानलो…

या एक बात हमसे भी सुनते जाओ बरखुरदार,
के चाहे सब छुपा लोगे तूम इस नक़ाब-ए-परदे में,
यह निगाहें सच बोल जाएँगी…

Defining Love I See

How does one define love?
Love between a boy and a girl,
Love between a man and a woman...

People just able to talk in messages,
Sent on the latest smartphone
Gifted by their loved one...
But whom they cant stand,
Even for a second...

Or perhaps something I see in this couple,
Something that always stays young,
Young in the eyes of the two...
Who as they grow older together,
Get younger at heart...
Are rich with their smiles of love,
And don't mind a worn-out shoe or dirty jeans...
                 
As long as the two are together.
They have the world with them.