Aaj fir teri yaad aayi

"Kisi ko ghar mila hisse me, kisi ke paas dukaan aayi,
main ghar me sabse chhota tha, mere hisse me maa aayi."

                                                      - Munawwar Rana

Doston ke beech tanha rehne ki fursat kahan,
laut gaye jab sab ghar, to teri yaad aayi. 

Naye shehero ki chamak bulati rahi humein,
paaya jab andhera, to teri yaad aayi. 

Haste chehro ki bheed me khud ko bhula diya,
dhoond na paye jab khud ki pehchaan, to teri yaad aayi. 

Jashn ke shor me sabke saath hum bhi chillate rahe,
hua jab bhi sannata, to teri yaad aayi. 

Duur makaamo ki hod me, la-haasil is daud me, hamesha waqt ko dosh diya,
thak ke rukna pada jab, to teri yaad aayi.

Ab hoti hai tabiyat kharab, to koi nahi haal poochta hai,
aaj hua thoda zukhaam, to fir teri yaad aayi. 

- Kartik

Guitar Man

he listened to the guitar man and thought he could be one too
he found meaning in his words and dreamed of writing too
sometimes grew inspired and penned down a few
most of it was crap and none of it was new

he tried to sing along and add some music to it
that didn't help much and he ended up feeling like shit
the spark was there but he wished for more fire
searching for that light to get him higher

they said he was a nice guy and that's what he thought too
he believed them but knew not all of it was true
for deep down he felt under-compensated
waiting for something that was much belated

he longed for his friends though he had friends here too
spending long nights trying to make the perfect brew
having until now only watched the hawks that flew
he realized that it was now his turn too

सितारों से आगे जहां और भी हैं

मंजिल  मिल  गयी  है  तुम  को, अपनी  मंजिल  की  राह  पे  हम  भी  हैं
मंजिलों  से  आगे  कारवां  और  भी  हैं

की  थी  जो  शुरुआत  तुम  ने, अंजाम  की  तलाश  में  हम  भी  हैं
इस  कहानी  से  आगे  किस्से  और  भी  हैं

थोड़े  तन्हा  तुम  हो, थोड़ी  तन्हाई  के  नशे  में  हम  भी  हैं
तन्हाईओं  से  आगे  मुलाकातें  और  भी  हैं

नींद  ना  आई  तुम  को, जागे  हुए  से  हम  भी  हैं
सपनों  से  आगे  सवेरे  और  भी  हैं

भीड़ में अकेला

दिल तो बस धड़कते ही रह गए

भीड़ में बस अकेले ही रह गए

लभ रहे खामोश, नम रही आँखें

और कहनी थी जो बात, वो तो कोई और ही कह गए

तनहाइयों में आपको ढूंडते ही रह गए

सूनी इन गलियों में भटकते ही रह गए

ख़त्म हो गए रास्तें, मंज़िल फिर भी रही दूर

और काटनी थी साथ जो उम्र, उसे अकेले ही सह गए


पीछे जिनको छोड़ आये थे, वो याद बन के रह गए

जो हमारे थे पास, वो बस बात बन के रह गए

तय कर लिया था कितना, और कितनी थी राह बाकी

बस कदमों के निशाँ हम गिनते ही रह गए


लफ्ज़ों के जाल हम बुनते ही रह गए

सुलझने की कोशिश में और उलझते ही रह गए

ऊँचे थे ख्वाब, कम पड़ गए थे हौसले

और पार करना था जो समंदर, उसी में डूब के बह गए


दिल तो बस धड़कते ही रह गए

भीड़ में बस अकेले ही रह गए

imperfect encounter

and I look back on that day, when you first saw me
I think it was who I was with, yes that was the key
and I found it hard, I found it hard to breathe
I think it was the stare, yes that did it for me

and it was a weird night, an unusual place to be
'Love the place', said I, 'Totally', said she
and in that moment, it was all I could see
seemed like a scene, straight out of a movie

and so we sat, drinking my assam tea
you wanted black coffee, but I didn't agree
and we talked, we talked of bird and bee
surely the wrong time to put forth my plea

and I was a fool, in more ways than one
losing what I had, and ending up with none
should have kept shut, but I blocked out the sun
the man who knew too much, but felt like an empty gun

Into the Dawn

As I stood staring

Staring at the stars

The endless sky spread above me

Below me, nothing but naked blades of grass

And I sat thinking

Remembering the left behind past

Most of which I wanted to forget

Albeit some moments which I wished would last

As I lay mystified

Wondering if this was it

Whether there was more that I could have done

Or had I done my bit

And I found my heart discovering

Courage to again stand up on my feet

It was time to start afresh

And wake up from the dream

Beyond the Blur

Where pleasure ends and pain begins

The lines are blurring

Waiting for the letters that no one sends

Life passes me by

Speaking into the phone that is my past

It is my own voice which echoes

Nothing but nothingness at last

As I go through my death throes

Staring into the darkness

A ghostly image it is that I see

It disappears as I reach out towards it

And I realize that it is no one but me

As I gaze into that mirror

Wondering of things that could have been

The pleasure has ended and the pain has begun

No line between the two can now be seen