I am fear,
The dreaded nemesis,
Prophesying time,
Wrapped in miseries and tears.

I am despair,
The doomed progeny of life,
Ugly and devilish,
The haunted sibling of bliss.

I am frailty,
Taciturn & meek,
Like a slave imbibing hurt,
In conditions bleak.

I am reality,
The annihilator of delusion,
The naked truth of existence,
The sublime provenance of death.

"Shashank"

"Shadow"

On a moonless night of intense spring,
I saw a shadow lurking behind the trees.
It was in search of a prey,
Eager to devour someone’s happy days

Now, I see that shadow everyday,
Roaming freely on streets and subways
Though, I’m still under eight,
Yet, it covets my innocent flesh.

The wise allege, “My gender tempts the shadow.”
In reality, their silence feeds it.

I’m not the cause of shadow
I’m only a victim of it.

'Shashank'

-------------------------------------------------------------
'The Blue Moon'

Behind two close eyes,
A flashback runs of moments worthwhile.
The moments are few and far between,
But, she has been in them times umpteen.

Ingratitude does not dampen her efficiency.
Negligence does not hold back her buoyancy.
I always remember earnestly!
Her sincere help in instances of adversity

She is definitely a god gifted boon.
Akin to once in a blue moon,
And, I can’t forget her.
Be it morning, evening or noon.

'Shashank'

When it rains

When it rains,

The wind blows whistle,

The soil begets fragrance.

The birds chirp happiness,

The trees shed colour.

When it rains,

Birth brings desire,

Death relieves pain.

Flesh longs youth,

Soul spectates.

I never ask, I never seek

Memories easily banish me.

But, when it rains,

A corner, somewhere, in my heart

It aches, cries & grieves wistfully

Only, for that moment, I become human again.

 

The earth longs for the cold.
The twilight bids adieu rays.
Lovely clouds kiss the darkness.
The mighty sun bemoans the distance.
The moon waits impatiently,
For now, it's her chance to acquire the gem.

"Time Pass"

Whenever Oxytocin driven neurons release Dopamine in mind,
O friend! Thy love becomes divine.
Distances vanish with passage of time
Keep trying, always,
Things will be absolutely fine.
You know I’m a big recluse
Still, you bank on my lines
Your rustic charm is sine qua non,
Spiced with emotions, Combined with lovely motions
Let her smell it, Let her feel it
I’m sure she will fall in line.

'अनुभूति'

हो रहा एहसास ये कैसा?
ये कैसी अनुभूति है ?
 मेरे हृदय पे प्रेम की,
बूंदे जब से बरसी हैं ।

मैं ठहरा नादान यहाँ पे,
तू भी तो अनजानी है ।
पर तेरे  लफ्जों के माधुर्य से
दुनिया मेरी मीठी है ।

उठता जब चर्चा महफ़िल में,
जब पूछते लोग तेरे बारे में,
मैं कहता हूँ, ऐ सुनो जमाना !
वो सिर्फ और सिर्फ मेरी अनुभूति है ।

'JOURNEY'

Numb air, serene sand, and soul in trance
Beaches, movies, and breathless songs
Renewed dreams enshrined in ephemeral joy
Reticent emotion kindled the moribund heart.

Perfidy, fear and adversity
Lessons in friendship, love and tenacity
Trust strengthened over game of cards
Groups expanded by meeting of hearts.

Gorgeous gardens, food, and pious Buddha in peace
Malls, food and angels at ease
Learning explored in open sky
Love felt, unexpressed, in hazy eyes.

Twelve days of spring and sunshine
This is the absolute journey of lifetime.

जरा-जरा लहराना और सिमट जाना,
बार-बार पलटकर यूँ आना,
समंदर तेरा मस्ताना बेबाकपन,
मुझको भी अब है पाना ।

आज आया हूँ पास तेरे मैं,
जानने तेरी अदाऒं को,
कोई मदहोश होता है कैसे,
देख तेरी फिजाऒं को |

मेरा भी कुछ ऐसा हो जाए,
जान मेरी हो तुझपे फना,
तेरे पानी के लहरों जैसी,
रहे मेरी दुनिय़ा जवां |

‘To be with you in this life’ ----------------------------------------------

‘To be with you in this life’
It is a dream I shall seek till I’m alive.
Without you, days are plain black & white,
With you, they are heaven & bright.

Only you are constant in life,
Rest changes with passage of time.
‘You & me together forever’
This thought has been my savior
I laugh, I rejoice, I weep in love
Yet never, this feels complete enough.

When I feel very weak & bare
I remember you in my prayer
How much I love, how little you care
‘Immaterial it is’, I admit here.

'Shashank'
----------------------------------------------

Just a Wishful Thinking

Trembling lips do not whisper sound,

Whenever they find you around

The heart seeks you in sublime,

Effecting divine ecstasy in mind

Though,

The priceless you are, the worthless I’m

The Goddess you are, the stupid I’m

And, there is no match for sure to be found

Still I ask, “Will you be my valentine!”

!SOME RANDOM THOUGHTS!

You live life every day. You go to work, come back and have the same routine for the next 365 days of a year. Where on earth do you have time to sit and contemplate!

Writing too has a similar pattern. You write once, you write again and as time flies, you go on filling the papers with same emotions, though words might change.

However, life also throws surprises. It tests you. It wants to know your response. You might argue, “Why surprises! I was happy with my normal life” or you might enjoy it taking it as something to look forward to.

Life, like all geniuses after all, has its own way of doing things and the beauty of life has parallels only in artistic impressions of mankind; writing being one of them.

Thinking about surprises for a writer, they are events and situations where he can’t use his routine, cliched patterns of words; where he has to rediscover his pure, virgin, sacrosanct feelings or else he’ll be a thing of the past.

Using the same corollary as above, I could say that till only a few days ago, it was business as usual for me. I was not writing!

But, as they say no one can stop an idea whose time has come and time has indeed come for an idea which says, “Respect a woman even if she is a whore.” This idea is simply profound. ‘Easy to preach, hard to own; a jugglery of a few words yet the essence of a future utopian universe.’ It also asks not to customize a woman into someone’s wife, daughter or sister while defending her. This should never be a necessity for the justified action.

A woman deserves to be respected because she is a woman. Nothing else!

Think over, ponder & introspect. Once, understood, inculcate. The world will surely be a better place.

will surely be a better place.  

मोहब्बत का भी यारों
क्या खूब फ़साना होता है
दो जिंदगानी तबाह करने में
 मशगूल पूरा जमाना होता है |

'शशांक'

कभी कभी इस दिल को
सच भी दिखलाना पड़ता है
ये आशिक बन 'इश्क' गलियों में फिरता है
इसे 'अंजाम-ए-वफ़ा' की तल्ख़ मंजिल
'बेवफाई' से मिलाना पड़ता है |

'शशांक'

इतने भी गैर हम नहीं थे
जो ऐसे आपने भुला दिया
'ना' ही कह देते उस वक़्त,
क्यूँ इतनी उम्मीदें जगा
आपने उन्हें झुठला दिया |

'शशांक'

गर खुदा तू हुस्न का कद्रदान होता,
मेरे रकीबों में पहला तेरा ही नाम होता
और गर मोहब्बत तेरा इमान होता
तू मुझसा ही खुशकिस्मत इंसान होता |

'शशांक'

कभी तनहाइयाँ होती थीं शौकों में बिताने के लिए 

अब आदत है 'शौकों' की तनहाइयों भुलाने के लिए 

है मुजरिम वक़्त और गवाह भी बदलती इन फिजाओं का  

कि खुश होते थे कभी जो मिलके हमसे बेइन्तेहाँ  

वो ही लाख बहाने ढूँढते हैं 

अब हमसे नज़रे चुराने के लिए |

'शशांक'

मैंने सोचा है
तुझे लम्हों में
हर पल, हर सुबह, हर शाम |

तुझे देखा है

ख्वाबों में
भोली, चंचल, कोमल सी
जैसे पहली बार मिली थी मुझसे
तू अजनबी, जुदा, बिलकुल अनजान |

मैं सोचता हूँ
आज भी
शिद्दत से तुझे
जैसे गहराइयों से मेरे दिल की
सिर्फ उठे है तेरा नाम |

मैं जानता हूँ
ये जो दूर से दिखते हैं
दो किनारों के मंजर,
धरती और अम्बर
नहीं मिलते हैं जीवनभर |

फिर भी चाहता हूँ
तुझे मैं
बेझिझक बेइनतहां
मोहब्बत की गुलपोश धरती पे
मिटाके अपना नामोनिशान |

'शशांक'

एक नज़र की तमन्ना में सदियों बिताये चला हूँ,
मैं बेपरवाह 'इश्क' से मुकद्दर जलाये चला हूँ |
सूखी स्याही उसमें अहसासों की कब से
मैं फिर भी कतरों की आस लगाये चला हूँ |

'शशांक'

ऐसे ही हम भला क्या
बूंदों की किस्मत से जल जाते हैं
कि जब छूती है बारिश उनको
माशा'अल्लाह वो और निखर आते हैं |

'शशांक'