Life - Live or Die this Lie?

A person, I thought I once knew,
is someone today am a stranger to.
Is it worthwhile yearning for togetherness and friendship
when emotions lay uncared for, remaining but a service of the lip?

Self-respect and ego, blurred with humility muscled by arrogance
Bonding and love get eroded when distrust surrounds like a fence
Who is to blame when two beings drift apart
with each one playing stone deaf like a fine art?

Living each day appears like a prolonged death sentence
With questions piling on that make no sense
That feeling of wanting to break free and escape
is a reminder of life getting out of hand and out of shape

Then comes a small angel, who holds your hand
Like an innocent kid wanting to play by the beach and sand
The Self and Ego, disappearing like the setting sun
"It is all worthwhile", whispered God through this little one.

Climatic Conditions

This country is being ruled by a “bachelor” and his “polly”

Say those who saw the country being run by the whims of a single family

Right doesn’t mean right and Left doesn’t mean wrong

Oh, Shut-Up! Just pick a side you moron!

“Fear is the Key” said one Mr. Alistair MacLean

On the throes of a dwindling economy, can this Government come clean?

What the Hell! Just who’s side are you on?

Oh, Shut-Up! Just pick a side you moron!

Amidst jingoism and tantrums of 543 and 245

My country stands confused with their “what” and “why”

Can’t Voices of dissent and concurrence stand as one?

Oh, Shut-Up! Just pick a side you moron!

I disagree with you - Thou art’ an Urban Naxal

I disagree with you - Thou art’ a Casteist individual

I disagree with you - Isn’t that okay and can we not move on?

Oh, Shut-Up! Just pick a side you moron!

Relations and emotions

Poise and postures don’t stand a chance

Maturity and wisdom crumble with no stance

Even the erudite and the intelligent take a downfall

When relations and emotions create a rainfall

Misunderstandings and miscommunications are never obvious

The mind erects a wall too impervious

Everyone is rightful in their own regard

Who then is to blame for mutual disregard?

One cannot step into the other’s shoe of discomfort

Yet we yearn for the other to not hurt

Words unleashed I cannot take back

But don’t we still want our old friends back?

Some little ones get caught in the crossfire

Hoping they could broker a ceasefire

These festivities are meant to spread delight 

While some emotions take time to set right

”Leave it to time”, said a wise old man

This too shall pass. I know it can.

Our fights and disappointments with our closest ones
Are after all the bedrock of relations and emotions!

Friendship, Ego and all that's in between

Don't expect to be known as your friend's best friend
Realize this & your friendship will never end
Be that backbone that cannot be seen
For you're the one on whom they can lean

Friends have a common enemy we call "ego"
Even knowingly sometimes we don't let him go
Don't feel the need to prove anything to your friend
Leave it to time and we will eventually comprehend

Don't pass your childish misunderstandings to your child
Trust me - kids are more mature to get us reconciled
Maintain your distance even with your closest buddy
At times your own solitude will keep you steady

Cliches abound all around us
Epigrams may still sound superflous
It is our own falls that help us learn
Only if we reach out, will our friend return

I'm right and you are wrong!
With such a duet how can we get along
Of what purpose is being in feeds and timelines
Talking with bland emojis and innumerable signs

As long lost buddies, we may not even talk
Our silence and imagination, together, still go for a walk
Be beside Your close friend while he coughs his breath
While it's okay for you to jive alone with Mr. Death!

Rhyme Tom [My Mother]

A Pillar of strength for all

Without her, it certainly could've been a disastrous fall

While the pillar that protected has now aged
Her own resolve now keeps her alone and caged.

How can I break that resolve?
This is a problem I'm just unable to solve
Have my own journeys through many a failure
sculpted myself as my mother's stranger?

We all grieve for that one simple man
Life has presented me with yet another failed plan
Is it true that care-givers prefer loneliness?
My actions continually seem meaningless!

I would like to think I'm not so selfish
The pillar must have many more memories to cherish
I will wait for my moments of happiness
till He makes this pillar seek peace in togetherness.

ज़मीर नाम का मेरा बूढ़ा पडोसी:

खयाली पुलाव जीवन में हमने भी खूब पकाया !

घर पहुँचते पहुँचते दफ्तर को भी साथ ले आया !

"बेटा चक्की पीसो अकेला अकेला!" कौन बोला? किसने फरमाया?

"तेरा बाप" कहकर पडोसी ने डराया !

क्यों बे बुड्ढे? अभी तक तेरा टिकट नहीं कराया?

हस्ते हस्ते बूढ़े ने फिर बतलाया -

"बेटा उम्र हो गयी, फिर भी मौत नहीं आया, पर

तेरी ग़लीज़ जिंदगी देखकर मजा बहुत आया " !!??

Zindagi Theda Collecshuns!!

Bacchon ko padhaao nahi, Bacchon se kuch seekho
Hamara zamaana hi zamaana tha, kahe har peedhi ke boodhon
Har soch jo naya hai, kal zaroor hongey puraney
Afsos hai humlog samjhey ki hum hi sabse sayaaney!

Reyt mein chalta gaya, pagdandi kya chod di
Baarishein tez aa gayi, aur raasta meine kho di
Raat ka sehra aaya, bhooton ko bhi le aaya
Suraj ne kya chamkaaya, ghar mein aakhir laut aaya
-- back from the brink

Baaraah saal aur ek Paathsaala
Do saal aur ek naya dost nahi saala
Teen saal aur bhatak raha hoon akela
Do aur saal, phir dhoondo naukri ka mela
-- searching "Situations Vacant" postings in Times of India

Sabka Maalik ek, har mandir kehta dekh
Insaan ka man ho nek, woh khushiyan paye anek
Par tu-tu mein-mein jaari, yeh sabse badi bimaari
Aaj neta hum pe bhaari, humney kho di dimaag saari
- after a political rally at Deulwadi, Chembur 

Ratt raha hoon yeh bakwaas har roz
Kal pareeksha Itihaas - Afsos
Bahut bhari yeh pustak ka bhoj
Chodo dekhen ab Bharat ek khoj!
A day before History exam, March 1989


Aaj Aadmi, Aurat Bandar kal ke Nar Naari aur Vaanar
Auratein jalti roz roz aur Aadmi bante Jaanwar
Chote bacchey dekhe aise batthar haalaat ghar par
Har mandir mein hasta gaya bhagwaan naam ka bandar
-- after a Dowry death news in Free Press Journal (1988)


Naam hokar bhi Vikaas, Padhaayi mein nahi thi Vikaas
Kaam ek kapde ki dukaan mein aur pehenta sirf ek libaas
Shyaam ko woh laut thaa ghar, marta bhooko-pyaas 
Thaam li usney maut ko, lekar ek aahkri saans!!
-- of the labour class 


Gyan na de jo gyaani woh kehlaye agyaani
Pyaas bujhaye paani, aur duniya ki pareshaani
Madira samajh kar pee liya gyaani ne sirf paani
Paani jaise peetey aaj madira kai agyaani!!

The Pompous "I"

I'm this, I'm that, I'm Love
I'm unique, I'm also holier than thou
I'm the Universe, the Universe is Me
Word plays from scriptures for the ever so lonely

An inconspicuous speck of Invisible dust
With 7 Billion humans all waiting to combust
A funny thought for our ego and art
We're rotten leftovers of a big bang fart!

Of Poetry relays in Social Media

So said my sister, "Share your poetry"
I'm getting older, with a growing bigotry
They say life begins at Forty! I really hope that's true.
Coz' I gaze at all and sundry, with nothing much to do!

लाल लाल है खून का रंग और माथे मे बजरंगी रंग
अब क्या गाऊं मै कोई अभंग, जब मै न दिल का मस्त मलंग
मन मेँ भी एक अजीब सी जंग, वोह हसकर बोली मेरे संग
तू गिरगिट साला रंगबिरंग, ज़िंदगी भी तुझसे हो गयी तंग!!

Loneliness: "Hi Meaningless!"

Me: Look at the absurdness of me talking to nothingness!

Of Retrograde, Anterograde, Psychogenic Amnesia

भूल करते करते, भूल गया मैं उस बात को
बात करते करते, सोचा क्या बात है कुछ याद करो 
याद करते करते, यह बिमारी भी एक याद बन गयी 
बिमारी की याद क्या आयी, साली जवानी भी ख़ाक में मिल गयी !!

A Perverse Panegyric

Nude and wet on this stormy day
You lech at me with abandon, gay
Whilst you think with lustful glee
I'm all bark and leaves of a rainy tree

Burning me inside and out
You wait for me, I spew from my pout
Whilst you think 'bout something I'm not
I'm the Tea, in your Teapot

Murdering me with your sharpest knife
You kill me through your cold-blooded wife
Whilst you sit there, fret and grouse
I'm the tomato, cut by your spouse

I'm lynched today high and dry
No sympathies from passers-by
You got the drift, while I quit
I'm your clothes, you perverted twit!