the first steps

the first steps

with coloured chalk
on the tarmac
the young ones
learn about lines
and shapes
igniting passion
for art

#tpoem
baithuk.wordpress.com

aaj chai ka zaiqa kyuN mukhtalif hay?

 aaj chai ka zaiqa kyuN mukhtalif hay?

bahar 29c, ander 22c
gao takiay kay saharay
janab prufrock
sailab, zalzalay
agnipath ki khabraiN
paRhtay hu'aye
souch rahay haiN
aaj chai ka zaiqa
kyuN mukhtalif hay?

#tpoem
baithuk.wordpress.com

why does the tea tastes different today?

 why does the tea tastes different today?

it is 29C outside and 22c inside
ensconced on his rocker
the other mr prufrock
reading about floods
earthquakes and agnipath
wondering why the tea
tastes different today?

#tpoem
baithuk.wordpress.com

tell me, who has the luxury?

 tell me, who has the luxury?

to enjoy the beauty
of the sunrise
and the sunset
the infant's smile
the lover's embrace
when there are
earthquakes, floods
food shortages
rising temperatures
all over?

#tpoem
baithuk.wordpress.com

political turmoil

 political turmoil

wonder
if
or
when
sense
would
prevail

#tpoem
baithuk.wordpress.com

siyasi hungama-aaraee

 siyasi hungama-aaraee

souchta hooN
kub aakhir
aa'aye gi
baaleedgi?

#tpoem
baithuk.wordpress.com

retaining humanity

 retaining humanity

slowly
s l o w  l y
s   l   o   w   l  y
       draining away
in these chaotic times
where earthly and
cosmic forces collide
    feel rudderless
        and defiant


#tpoem (revised)
baithuk.wordpress.com

Sheila Benson @sheilabenson
Retain your humanity!

destination

destination

all roads
traveled
or less
traveled
lead to
same
destination

#tpoem
baithuk.wordpress.com

khairbad

 khairbad

yaad
yaad e elahi
yaad e raftgaaN
tri yad
oonki aashirbad
phir khairbad

#tpoem
baithuk.wordpress.com

sada e bay aawaz

 sada e bay aawaz

 
kaho kya sunaiN
ghota-zun haiN
behr e sukoot maiN
ab khamoshi hee mri
              daigi sada

#tpoem
baithuk.wordpress.com

sikka raiaj ul waq't / سکہ رائج الوقت

 sikka raiaj ul waq't

jhoot
faraib
aur muk'r

سکہ رائج الوقت

جھوٹ
 فریب
 اور مکر

#tpoem
baithuk.wordpress.com

le mensonge du jour

 le mensonge du jour

all quiet and peaceful
on twitter, whatsapp
and in the msm
sound sleep beckons

#tpoem
baithuk.wordpress.com

tone-deaf: damadum mast qalandar

 tone-deaf: damadum mast qalandar

on the idiot box
tone-deaf talking heads
play doomsday music
    every single day
        and life goes on

#tpoem
baithuk.wordpress.com

global warming

 global warming

ghar'q jub sub kuch ho jai ga
baansri phir kaun bajai ga

when the whole world is submerged
who will then play the flute?

#tpoem
baithuk.wordpress.com

freedom (a poem in support of #BDS)

 freedom (a poem in support of #BDS)

death frees
the ultimate
equal opportunity freedom

the palestinians
   the kashmiris
      the uighurs
         the baloch
the disenfranchised women
all seek freedom
not of the deathly variety

#tpoem
baithuk.wordpress.com

live carefree

 live carefree

live without a care
use plastic bags
          fossil fuel
do not reuse or recycle
you only live once
and one of these days
the super powers
would nuke us all
and we will disappear
    so go on
          live carefree
caveat: have no children
just in case...

#tpoem
baithuk.wordpress.com

if i knew...

 if i knew...

if i knew everything
i would be dead
        as in
i would not be alive

#tpoem
baithuk.wordpress.com

are there any happy websites?

are there any happy websites?

do websites make us happy?
do they make us forlorn?
the content undigested
    believe i 
        dictates
sadness or happiness
    a function
of glass half full
or half empty

#tpoem
baithuk.wordpress.com

@microMAF

· 1h

Are there any happy websites?

rumination

 rumination

when meditation 
is put away
    on paper 
        or on canvas
thoughts mine
    are the only 
    prized possession
that are solely mine
till the last breath
    separates us

#tpoem
baithuk.wordpress.com

dire straits

 dire straits

warnings
      heavenly
      do this: don't do that

admonishing
      danger ahead
      proceed with caution

threats
     stay the course
     or else

in pensive mood
     sensitize?
     or desensitize?

#tpoem
baithuk.wordpress.com

paths

 paths

paths
pursued
lead
back

#tpoem
baithak.blogspot.com

omnia vincit amor*

 omnia vincit amor*

love is the first lesson learned
and in three score and ten
other lessons are experienced
somewhere in this journey
hatred, intolerance, misgivings
dwarfs love,
waiting to be rediscovered

#tpoem
baithuk.wordpress.com

*omnia vincit amor et nos cedamus amori
("Love conquers all; let us all succumb to love")

@sheilabenson
Where did the love go? Are we all lost?

the bridge game ii

the bridge game ii

aphrodite and venus
playing
hades and poseidon
bidding no trump
athena observing
with a twinkle

#tpoem
baithuk.wordpress.com

life (and or living)

life (and or living)

              figure
        configure
 autoconfigure
  counterfigure
         disfigure
     reconfigure

         go figure

#tpoem
baithuk.wordpress.com

the bridge game

 the bridge game

venus and parvati
playing
kali and morta
bidding no trump
saraswati observing
with a twinkle

#tpoem
baithuk.wordpress.com

crosshairs of the #zionohindutva

 crosshairs of the #zionohindutva

today it is the mosque
tomorrow the houses
next the graveyards
after that will come
the christians and the sikhs
and finally, you and me

#tpoem
baithuk.wordpress.com
https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/national/mandir-masjid-row-bengal-s-adina-mosque-largest-in-indian-subcontinent-next-in-line--magazine-198673

poocha ik shokh nay ke gutter se neeche kya hai?

 poocha ik shokh nay ke gutter se neeche kya hai?

aao maiN tujh ko batlaouN
ke gutter se neeche kya hai?
watan ki shadaab matti hay
khaitouN ko kerti hay zerkhaiz
laikin jo moonh kay gutter say
nikaltay haiN  mughallizat
woh mas'ala kuch aur hee hay
#tpoem
baithuk.wordpress.com

@NidaKirmani

· 1h

Ever wondered ke gutter se neeche kya hai?

beware of the sixth estate

 beware of the sixth estate

first four --
    the executive
        the legislature
            the judiciary
                the press
new entrant, the fifth estate
the twitterati, alt news folks
add to them
    the sixth estate
        the purveyors
            and producers  
of the fake news

#tpoem
baithuk.wordpress.com
 

a glimpse of heaven

 a glimpse of heaven

playing 
with words
and colours
at whim
is heavenly

#tpoem
baithuk.wordpress.com

beenai say mehroom insaf

 beenai say mehroom insaf

jub ho munsif
mehrom beenai say
jub ho 'video' munsif ki
          'oonkay' pass
tou ghareeb awaam
kis say ummeed laga'aye

#tpoem
baithuk.wordpress.com

hawala / hawalay

hawala / hawalay

sattur dihaiyouN say
kar diya tha hawala
mulk maik e roz e nau ko
sattur dihaiyouN say
nizam e mumlukat
chal raha hay hawalay say

#tpoem
baithuk.wordpress.com

naya dastoor

 naya dastoor

kal hee woh gaya
aur aaj oosko
sub bhool ga'aye
hoga humaray saath
kal yehi kuch
yehi naya dastoor hay

#tpoem
baithuk.wordpress.com

sorry @titojourno

fitna o fasad

fitna o fasad

fitna
    fitnagiri
        fiq't fatoor e aq'l
fasad
    fas ki juRR
        fastaiyyat
majrooh
        pull kay oos paar
        aap aur hum

#tpoem
baithuk.wordpress.com

the chasm

 the chasm

the crevasse
between north and south
civilized and uncivilized
of colored and uncolored
of haves and have-nots
unbridgeable
wider than the canyon
a bad abyss black hole

#tpoem
baithuk.wordpress.com

the dreams of ms. casper

 the dreams of ms. casper

the dreams of ms. casper
             controls the mind
of the born-again walking ego
who governs the believers
and the not so believers
she dreams & bags of money
appear from the skies
             others dream too
of justice, of equality
             in vain

#tpoem
baithuk.wordpress.com

in the end

 in the end

in the end
        things work out
in the end
        tide recedes
in the end
        lies are bared
in the end
        shadows desert
in the end
        azrael embraces
in the end
        we become footnotes

#tpoem
baithuk.wordpress.com

sense of humour

 sense of humour

the last sense
      that deserts
before life ebbs away
is the sense of humour
as azrael hovered
     over a bed
in the palliative care ward
the patient stirred
and said to azrael
     'wrong bed'

revised

#tpoem
baithuk.wordpress.com