kassh ki main tujhko dil se bhula deta

kash main khuda ya khuda ki jagah hota
to dard-aur-taklif ko sare jahan se mita deta.

gujra hua zamana muhje kya sazaa deta,
kassh..! ki main tujhko dil se bhula deta.

yeh main tha jo chupaya dil mein har ek baat,
koi aur gar hota to tamasha banaa deta.

bewafao ki list mein tu hoti sharamsar
main chahata to har raaz se parda hata deta.

socha kisi ko ruswa karna theek nahi
warna tere rutwe ko khak mein mila deta .

baitha tha jo lagake sharafat ki numaish
chahta to uske har gunah ko gina deta.

maine hi kadam rok liye bardhte us taraf
gar chahata to khoon ki nadiyaan baha deta.

har sehar main apne kaatil ko dhundta raha

ruk ruk ke main hamesha chalta raha,
har sehar mein apne kaatil ko dhundta raha,

huyi hai jab se nazron se ojhal woh,
jaise har khusi ko main tarashta raha,

nahi raha jeewan mein kuch ek uske siwa
jis naam ke sahare main humesha chalta raha,

na jaane kis bheed mein kho gayi woh,
nazron mein jiske pyar hamesha main dekhta raha,

kabhi manjoor na the ashk meri ankho mein,
zalim na jaane mujhe tanha chord kanha kho gayi,

sayad ibbadat mein us khuda ki koi kami thi,
jo umar bhar ka gum mere sine mein dafan ker gaya,

har sehar main apne kaatil ko dhundta raha,
ruk ruk ke main hamesha chalta raha

yaad nahi mujh ko kab muskaraya tha main

yaad nahi mujh ko kab muskaraya tha main,
ki is jahan mein kitni thokar khaya tha main,
bas yun hi chalta raha kha kha ke thokrein,
ke jaise ghum ke waaste duniya mein aaya tha main.

jab bhi dekhta hoon andhere nazar aate hain,
zakam itne gehre hain har pal yeh asar karte hai,
koi saath deta duniya mein to baat hi aur hoti,
ki bas intzaar mout ka sham-o-subah karte hai.

kya yahi zindagi hai

har saks paresaan hai,
har chehre pe udasi hai,
har aankh mein aashu hai,
har aatma pyaasi hai.
ke har chehre pe chehra hai, 

har hasrat pe pehra hai,
kya yahi zindgi hai??

yahan dil mein kuch hai,
aur juban pe kuch hai,
ki peeth mein khanjar
kyu bhokne ka daur hai,

kya mar gayi insaniyat
ya badli hai neeyat,
ki bas sochna apne baare mein,
sirf apne bare mein...
kya yahi zindgi hai??

pyar ke badle dhoka,
har kisi ko chahiye bas mouka,
paise ka khel, gareebo ko tardpana,

yeh badle badle se insaan,
yeh patther sa dil,
yeh dhoka.. yeh nafrat.. yeh lardai.. yeh siyast,
kya yahi zindgi hai??

I am ready.. you may hit once more

I am ready...

your love has made me tough and strong.
I am not an easy kill, for sure
often my foes have, too went wrong.

I am soft at heart but firm and pure
you are lovely.. yes,
you are lovely dear.
but why should you cultivate fear?
why should you leave your own resolves?

pick up and move in your best gear,
it’s all right, you have dealt a blow,
it could have struck but was too slow,
I was though, de-mobilized for a day,

but quickly recovered and went through,
I am older! might have been bore ?
I am ready.. you may now hit more.

why should not you get, all good care ?
why I should not be always fair ?
why shouldn’t I be all reasonable ?

I don’t think, I am that mentally bare,
my ship- man threw me off the shore,
I got tormented to my core,

it was a shock! but I swam through
I am now on the solid ground ashore.

let’s forget, what went by these days,
let morning bless us through these rays,
let’s part if it suits you my dear and
let these passions get a gauge.

yet see I am a panting to the core
I am ready.. you may hit me more.

kisi ke rukhepan ne humein pal-pal sataya

hum sabhi ke zindagi ka ek sach,
kisi ke pyaar ne zindagi mein umeed ka suraj jagaya,
to ussi ki bewafai ne usse dubba diya,

kisi ke milan ne asha ki kirane jagayi,
to ussi ke maut ne dukh bhare kaante bikhra diye,

kisi ne apne pyaar mein humein har pal hassaya,
to ussi ne humare vishwas ka mazak urdaya,

kisi ke rukhepan ne humein pal-pal sataya,
to ussi ki humdardi ne dil ko karar diya,

kisi ke gusse ne maan ko ghayal kiya,
to ussi ki mithi baaton ne marham lagaya,

in sabhi bhavnao ne kagaz par utrne ki raaj se zid ki,
aur raaj mein chhupe kavi ko bahar nikalne ko majbur kiya,

to raaj ne bhavnao ko dekar shabdo ka roop,
apne dil ke bojh ko halka kiya.

let's maintain a certain distance

even roads have clearances
a system of space
where movement becomes easier.

even buildings that grow
from patches of your earth
have easements,
the servient estate giving
in to the dominant one.

even the flow of the waters
from the higher estate to the lower ones,
for the proper sharing of the resources
dams and locks are made.

it is the same with us
between you and me
someone has to be servient,
to one who occupies this dominance
maybe for a while.

when we have not mastered
yet this art of balancing
and walking on some tight ropes.

give me a little space
for my thoughts to grow,
give me a little distance
so I can see
the better perspective of you
from faraway.

enough of the particulars
I am deceived,
let me try seeing you
as a whole and let me find
who we are from there.