The Aftermath

This was a poem written onboard a plane that I travelled from the Midwest to the East Coast, on Sep 16th, not 5 days after that terrible incident on 9/11. I couldnt but help think of that one incident that rocked everyone in the world. 

Watching bewitched from within a cockpit,

Two eyes, The Towers twin approached,

While t’was murder & mayhem to most,

Was it liberation they sought?

Metal mangled with cured concrete,

Confined within a conference room of deals,

Jet fuel gushed in an orange ball of flame,

Mocking the shocked gaze of the Liberty Dame.

Those eyes they partook it all,

As souls vanished vanquished,

Yet they also did witness,

Twice over a heroic deed.

Stone crumbled to acrid debris,

Steel melted to a lava of dust,

Those bedeviled eyes beheld a sight,

A phenomenon so far unbeknownst.

Lives of fear, terror and tear,

Despair, grief, and lack of hope.

Suddenly snuffed, they now travelled,

Uplifted through a gilded door.

“Will they these scared lives”,

Asked the eyes, “Sinful and unpunished go?”

Atleast in life after will they learn,

How in excess they had erred?

As one after another, the Doorman,

Ushered in those charred souls,

Soon as they passed the Golden Gate,

Cheerful turned their candor.

Those eyes, shocked now, beyond belief,

Wide and confused they protested,

“Leaving us lag far behind”,

“T’isn’t justice they move ahead”.

They tried a bustle and jostle ahead,

Forcing forward through the line,

To be rudely shown their place,

For this now was an act Divine.

They pleaded, begged and asked to know,

What the reason was, behind this fate?

Having only done, as upon them bade,

Surely they deserved to go through the gate?

The Doorman sighed, paused and pondered,

Finished with the last of the many thousand.

Turning towards them with great sadness,

He said words that were to hound.

“You are cursed” said He, “My wretched ones”,

“For you are the ones who have wronged”,

“Taken away what was not yours”,

“Can you ever be pardoned?”.

“Go forth now, you are doomed to haunt”,

“The dark nights of all your kind”,

“Wake them unto a world of peace”,

“If you wish repentance from this bind”.

“Till then you shall dwell in places”,

“Of pain, torture and gore”,

“You are banished from this day on”,

“To tasks difficult and dour chores”.

So those eyes they gathered together,

It’s other withered companions,

And the Doorman He walked far away,

Wiping away an uncontrollable tear.

He hoped those grieving left behind,

Realized for the ones that had left,

Justice to them, though unsaid & unseen,

Had surely and certainly been served.

Perspectives

inspired by an original drawing by Akshara Kulkarni

A stony cement structure,

A sullen corridor corner,

Here I thought I was, 

The only confused teenager!

No footfalls pounding on the floors

No shadows racing towards class doors

A flickering light in a dim corner

Threatening to quit 

The illumination business

I sat huddled for inspiration

Seeking a perspective for its namesake

Angles and curves jostled and jutted!

Made all practical sense, 

But my creativity failed!

Those silences add a gravitas,

They make you delve deep within,

In that moment of idealogical fission

A mushroom cloud of clarity blooms!

Elevator banks, notice boards,

Steps and half-opened doors,

They all have their place, 

Even the winking light,

Including me in my sullen plight!

Pen rushes to paper, to ink away

Capture, capture, capture the moment,

Its mine, mine, mine to make,

As with every one from now forever!

Boot-Re-Boot

Inspired by an original photo 

composed and shot by Akshara Kulkarni

Let us rest a while,

Breathe in a bit

Let our tongues hang,

So we reboot again!

We truly carry

More than our weight,

As we reach the bearer,

From start until end.

We’ve made friends,

With tar and concrete,

Rubbed heels with grass,

Unearthed souvenirs of muck & dirt.

And puddles of rainwater,

Have quenched our thirst.

Those brick laid steps

Told us ancient tales

Which keep us company

As we recoup our heft.

Our anthem remains,

Right Left-right-left,

We serve to please.

Till alas we get booted

By the newest of our kin!

Atlas Me Thoughts

An original painting by Darshana Patil

response verse below 

I feel one with Atlas,

He of earthly burdens,

Me of my mercurial thoughts

Colorful, hopeful, resentful

Anxious, lonely, a tinge of despair,

Busy, ebullient, a spot of restlessness,

A dip, submerge into this pond,

Emerge with a many pronged brush,

Paint my canvas in hues of VIBGYOR

Distraction & entertainment

Drive away the fears & pangs

Capture the negative energy, 

A constant reminder that,

Out of muck too, 

A lotus emergeth!

Kite-Dreams

An original painting by Darshana Patil above 

and 

some response verses below

Uski lambi poochon ko pakad, Socha disha de raha hoon, Baariki se kheenchta hoon. Suraj, taare, chaand, saare Pakad mein lagte hain bas! Yahaan se aasmaan ke sabhi Manzilein lagein durust. Meri patangi udaan ko dekh, Baitha parinda sapne ke kaandhe pe Lagaa kheench hoga aur bhaari, Naye sawaari ke bojh taley! Khair hum tehlte hain, kuch daer, Neelein aasmaanon ke parey. Mere sapne, uski poonch aur ek dost. Ek bahaana, upar ke nazaare dekhne ka, Harroz ki taana-shaahi mein bhool, Patak deta hoon bina soche jise. Woh shor, sharaaba, dum ka ghutna Is jahaan ki kam nahin hongi kabhi. Lekin jab sapne pankh lekar udein, saath sair karoon main bhi nayi jagahein.

I hang on to its long tail, Pretend to lead its destiny, Carefully as if by a guardrail. The stars, the sun, the moon, Seem all within reach. From here everything in the sky, Seem poised for a finish. An endorsement to my kite-dreams, A bird sets perch on the flutter, The tug gets heavier, A burden, as if it were. I manage, we ride a while, In the wide open blues. My dreams, its tail and a friend in tow! An excuse, to gaze up, for the sight. In my daily grind Otherwise which, Would tend to set by the side, The din, the roar, the ennui, Of the ground shall never ebb. Yet when I let my dreams soar, I can go afar to explore.

Aap Ki Aankhon Mein Kuch - GHAR

Film : GHAR

Lyrics: Gulzar

Music: RD Burman

Aap ki aankhon mein kuch maheke hue se raaz hai Aap se bhi khoobsurat aap ke andaaz hai Aap ki aankhon mein kuch maheke hue se raaz hai Lab hile to mogare ke phool khilte hain kahin Aap ki aankhon mein kya saahil bhi milte hai kahin Aap ki khaamoshiyaan bhi aap ki aawaaz hai Aap ki aankhon mein kuch maheke hue se raaz hai Aap se bhi khoobsurat aap ke andaaz hai Aap ki aankhon mein kuch maheke hue se raaz hai Aap ki baaton mein phir koi sharaarat to nahin Bevaja taarif karna aap ki aadat to nahin Aap ki badmaashiyon ke yeh naye andaaz hai Aap ki aankhon mein kuch maheke hue se raaz hai O, aap se bhi khoobsurat aap ke andaaz hai Aap ki aankhon mein kuch maheke hue se raaz hai

Tucked in your eyes are some scented secrets Even more appealing than you is your demeanor Tucked in your eyes are some scented secrets Your quivering lips prompt lilies to blossom in places Do shores ever meet in the fathoms of your eyes Taking a voice all their own are your silences Tucked in your eyes are some scented secrets Even more appealing than you is your demeanor Tucked in your eyes are some scented secrets Is there a truant hidden pray, in your words not quite a habit of yours, this unnecessary praise Mischief of yours takes a new demeanor it seems Tucked in your eyes are some scented secrets Even more appealing than you is your demeanor Tucked in your eyes are some scented secrets

Phir Se Aaiyo Badra Bidesi....NAMKEEN

Film : NAMKEEN

Lyrics: Gulzar

Music: RD Burman

Phir se aaiyo, badara bidesi Tere pankho pe, moti jadungi Bhar ke jaaiyo, humari talaya Mai talaya, kinare milungi Tuze mere kaale kamali wale ki sau Tuze mere kaale kamali wale ki sau Fir se aaiyo, badara bidesi Tere pankho pe, moti jadungi Tere jane ki rut  mai janati hu Mud ke aane ki rit hai ke nahi Kali dargah se puchhungi ja ke Tere man mei bhi preet  hai ke nahi Kachi puliya se, ho ke gujariyo Kachi puliya kinare milungi Phir se aaiyo, badara bidesi Tere pankho pe, moti jadungi Tuze mere kaale kamali wale ki sau Tuze mere kaale kamali wale ki sau Tu jo ruk jaye, meri atariya Mai atariya pe, zalar laga du Daalu chaar taabij gale se Apne kajal se, bindiya laga do Chhu ke jaiyo, humare bagiche Mai pipal ke aade milungi Phir se aaiyo, badara bidesi Tere pankho pe, moti jadungi Tuze mere kaale kamali wale ki sau Tuze mere kaale kamali wale ki sau.

Return again, mendicant clouds  Your wings with pearls, I’ll adorn, Fill upto the brim our ponds, Find me waiting by such a lakeshore Your’e sworn on my blue-eyed beloved Your’e sworn on my blue-eyed beloved Return again, mendicant clouds  Your wings with pearls, I’ll adorn, Aware of the season of your disappearance Unaware if you have a method for returning I shall query at the temple of Kali If you carry love within you or not I shall pass by the broken bridge Meet you at the end of which Return again, mendicant clouds  Your wings with pearls, I’ll adorn Your’e sworn on my blue-eyed beloved Your’e sworn on my blue-eyed beloved Make a stop by my rooftop Tempt you with ornaments Hang about you some talismans  Adorn your forehead, a moon of my kohl Fleetingly touch our gardens Under the Peepul I shall wait Return again, mendicant clouds  Your wings with pearls, I’ll adorn Your’e sworn on my blue-eyed beloved Your’e sworn on my blue-eyed beloved.

Ka Kha Ga Gha.....BOMBAY VELVET

Film : BOMBAY VELVET

Lyrics: Abhijit Bhattacharya

Music: Amit Trivedi

Aye! tumse mili toh pyar ka Seekha hai ka kha ga gha Aye! samjhao na, kyun pyar ka Ulta hai ka kha ga gha Kyun jo dard de, tadpaye bhi Lagta hai pyara woh hi Kyun toote yeh dil Kehlaaye dil tabhi Tairne ki jo, koshishein kare kaahe doob jaata hai Sab bhula ke jo, doob jaaye kyun wohi tair paata hai Woo joh har khel mein Jeeta yahan, dilbar se hara wohi Kyun, toote yeh dil, kehlaaye dil tabhi Dhat teri! Iski har saza kubool ho jise Yahan wohi wohi bali hua hai Ispe jo mukadmaa kare Aji wahi wahi mara hai Batao kyun, is jail se Bhaaga hai jo, dobara lauta woh bhi Kyun toote yeh dil Kehlaaye dil tabhi

Hey! the time since we’ve met The ‘ABC’ of love I’ve decoded Hey!  Help me understand Why the alphabet’s turned upside down Painfully yet, giver of grief, ‘Tis for who, the heart ticks Why does it take a heartbreak, To know its very existence To stay afloat, Try so hard, yet finds the fathom Chuck fear to wind, Flap in the deep, is the way to swim Champ of the dice, lost his hand to the heart Why does it take a heartbreak, To know its very existence Darn you! The one bowing to her every whim Is the sacrificial lamb The one demanding justice Is one to lay down his life Anyone fleeing its captivity, Has returned to surrender again                 Why does it take a heartbreak, To know its very existence

Mohabbat Buri Bimaari - BOMBAY VELVET

Film : BOMBAY VELVET

Lyrics: Abhijit Bhattacharya

Music: Amit Trivedi

                                               

Mohabbat buri bimari ha aah.. Mohabbat buri bimari Lagi tujhe toh teri zimmedari Mohabbat buri bimari Lagi tujhe toh teri zimmedari Mohabbat buri bimari... ha! mmm... ye beraham jisko kaate Paani nahi daaru woh maange Ghar se Khuda ko hataake Mehboob ki tasveer taange Lagti hai halki padti hai bhaari Lagti hai halki padti hai bhaari padti hai mmm.. padti hai mmm.. ha! Mohabbat buri bimari Lagi tujhe toh teri zimmedari Mohabbat buri bimari Lagi tujhe toh teri zimmedari Mohabbat buri bimari... ha! Ha choone se hoti nahi Nazaron ke raste se aaye Jhagda hai iska akal se Masoom dil pe kabja jamaaye Soorat se bholi neeyat shikari Soorat se bholi neeyat shikari neeyat shikari.. neeyat shikari.. ha! Mohabbat buri bimari Lagi tujhe toh teri zimmedari Mohabbat buri bimari Lagi tujhe toh teri zimmedari Mohabbat buri bimari... ho! Toh teri zimeedaari.. Mohabbat buri bimari!

Love's a terrible affliction..aah Love's a terrible affliction You catch it, your vexation Love's a terrible affliction Love's a terrible affliction You catch it, your vexation..ha! mmm.. Pitiless is the love bite, Force you to drink, parasite And forsake the almighty, Love's center stage alrighty, Featherweight its roll, hefty the toll Featherweight its roll, hefty the toll Love's a terrible affliction You catch it, your vexation Love's a terrible affliction You catch it, your vexation You catch it, your vexation..ha! Don’t catch it through touchin’ Gaze the medium of spreadin’ Tussling your saner senses The Bambi heart it annexes No malice at face, a hunter's intention No malice at face, a hunter's intention a hunter's intention.. a hunter's intention..ha! Love's a terrible affliction You catch it, your vexation Love's a terrible affliction You catch it, your vexation Love's a terrible affliction You catch it, your vexation Love's a terrible affliction