the beggar woman's eyes
the beggar woman's eyes
had an odd magnetism
baithak has an aura. sheesha, fireplace, bulging bookshelves, rugs, divan takias and more...
the beggar woman's eyes
elusive shangri la
soccer dad
on the field
the young child
missed the target
the father consoled
the crestfallen child
off the field
the father forlorn
lost in syllogism
evoking missed targets
real unreal
under the spotlight in the corner
the dieffenbachia with shiny leaves
and on the wall three wooden frames
with florid pictures of houseplants
faani
wajood mo'aiy'yoon hay
munsalik wajood say
teri meri jaan hay
tughiani e andesha
istifsaar kerti hay
jan tou aani jaani hay
mawra e wajood e faani hay
phir yeh khalish kaisi
respite
longing to drown
in the honeycomb
of the inner self
avoiding the (blazing) sun
has to be wrestled
mohlat
ujalay ki haqeeqatoN say
amaan chahtay hu'aye
aao ghar'q ho jaiN
ghaar e daroouN ki tareekion maiN
kay abhee shayad muhlat baaqi hay
of a goat, sheep or cow
blowing ...
najat
talaash ii (revised)
zeh'n kay jangaloN maiN
zaat kay sehraoN maiN
t'ri ankhioN ki jheel maiN
ghota zun dhooNdta hooN
saleeb ko, pyalay ko
ab tou yeh aalam hay
her rah chaltay shaksh ki
aankhoN maiN dhoondta hooN
khud ko ...
talaash i (revised)
zeh'n kay jangal, zaat kay sehra maiN
aur teri aankhON ki jheel maiN hay
talash kisi go'om gushta such ki
jo saleeb per saidouN pehlay
chaRha diya tha, ya jis nay
khushi say zeh'r pee liya tha
jaanta hooN yeh sub, khalish laikin
muztarib rakhti hay mujhay
of inconsequential consequences
talaash ii
paida hotay hee zaalimoN nay
saleeb per chaRha diya thaa
kya a'jub jo zeh'n kay jangaloN maiN
zaat kay sehraouN maiN go'om
teri ankhiouN ki jheel maiN ghar'q
khood ko najanay kyuN dhooNdta hooN
aur ab tou yeh aalam hay kay
her rah chaltay ki aankhouN maiN
janay kis kis ko dhoondta hooN...
talaash i
zeh'n kay jangal maiNpeer e tasma paa |
|
whispers
mrs. havisham would not knowcocoon
do clouds have feelings?
the mute beggar outside dolman mall
the wrinkles on her face
a veritable topography
the forehead saharan dunes
side of left eye the great lakes
the right dunes of rab al khali
the cleft tectonic fissures
neck coppadacia
toothless smile compassionate
eyes penetrating
tears
baat
tou app bhee theek kertay haiN
baat tou woh bhee theek kertay haiN
baat tou hum bhee theek kertay haiN
baatouN ki maujoN kay beech maiN
yeh naazuk dil hay kyuN larzaaN
gustakhi
sud afsos
yeh poochnay per
jur'm kaunsa akbar hay
gustakhi e rasool
ya
gustakhi e elahi
sur ooska
kardiya tun say juda
in khood sakhta
mominouN nay
writing in times of covid
'once upon a time...'
'it was a dark cold night...'
'in those days...'
abandoned and replaced by
'once upon a pre-covid time...'
'in the golden pre-covid days,,,'
'it was a dark pre-covid night...'
brume waiting for the fog to lift not the smog on the highway nor the bigot's effluvium or the mist in glazed eyes we debated fog, haze, mist long into the evening finally settling on smoke that had so permeated the walls of the saloon then she said goodbye and left
fondness or love
milking
that picture that picture placed strategically on the coffee table on the wall tiresome blatant milking by undeserving opportunistswaadah
waadah hee kyun kya ja'aye
jo hum wafa na kar sakhaiN
waadoun ka himala banay
ta dunya humaiN jaan ja'aye
promise
why make promises
that we do not keep?
K-2 of promises
to warn the universe