scattered leaves

scattered leaves carried by the wind
clouds with faces and forms floating away
words whipped into frenzied submission
long haul truck's dusty imprint lingering
highway hypnosis or
dreamy mirages of the subconscious

kal shubb adh mah ki chandni her sooí
aaj puray suraj ki tamazat
kal bhee woh tha yaheeN
aaj bhee hay woh kaheeN

wonderment ensconcing bewilderment
natureís predictable nature

ana ya wajood
fehmi ya adraak -- khoosh ya bud
kauN batai'ga
chandni bhala kis chandini maiN khailti hay
chand kis chanda per mit'ta hay
shama kis sa'aye ki muntazir hay
andhera kis chiraagh ko dhooNdta hay
yeh ujala kyuN itna muheeb hay
naz'r kyuN naz'r aatee nahiN
yeh shish-jehat tariki
kyuN ujalay ko youN jakaRti hay
shikanj e zeest maiN

in the humid whirlpool of nightmares
fission of dreams, desires, doubts
emerging, merging, submerging
laughing, dodging, hurting,
reconciling, deluding, fusing
unrequited dues of divinity
with wary aversion the living pay
taxes on the air they breathe

ahl-e-nashaiman ka daríd
kaisa hay, kya hay ilaaj
hum na samjhaiN haiN phir
samjhaiN kya khak

hay bus maiN kahaN humaray
dar'd-e-zindagi na koi ilaaj-e-zeest
utaro saleeb say kisi maseeha ko
zehín kay aasmaaNouN say kisi mehdi ko

and though the leaves are scattered
the forests are petrified
hard as triassic rock
once living
............still living
though more dead...
(rev 01/28)