ink between fingers

words originate

from the holy smoke

dancing incognate

hazy window

covered in dust

wipe memories

over the crust

reveal more

more and some more

eternal angel

saintly whore

see more feel more

sins lure

wipe the glass

shatter status quo

how far will you go

how far will you go

Norah Jones'

New York City
Such a beautiful disease
New York City
Such a beautiful,
Such a beautiful disease.


Waiting for the day when I feel this..

Emily Dickinson's

Revolution is the Pod
Systems rattle from
When the Winds of Will are stirred
Excellent is Bloom

But except its Russet Base
Every Summer be
The Entomber of itself,
So of Liberty --

Left inactive on the Stalk
All its Purple fled
Revolution shakes it for
Test if it be dead.


Waiting for the day when I comprehend this..

. . .

(Sigh)

I searched for anchors on this restless day.
Instead some memories came my way.
It isn't right or left
when I leave for somewhere.
It is mere eternal pain
for here when I'm there.

for a friend..

Lyricist: Ahmed Faraz
Singer: Ghulam Ali

कठिन है राह-गुज़र थोड़ी देर साथ चलो।
बहुत कड़ा है सफ़र थोड़ी देर साथ चलो।

तमाम उम्र कहाँ कोई साथ देता है
ये जानता हूँ मगर थोड़ी दूर साथ चलो।

नशे में चूर हूँ मैं भी तुम्हें भी होश नहीं
बड़ा मज़ा हो अगर थोड़ी दूर साथ चलो।

ये एक शब की मुलाक़ात भी गनीमत है
किसे है कल की ख़बर थोड़ी दूर साथ चलो।

तवाफ़-ए-मंज़िल-ए-जाना हमें भी करना है
‘फ़राज़’ तुम भी अगर थोड़ी दूर साथ चलो।

Faiz - In translation

I was being unfair yesterday by posting these beautifully worded songs without a translation.
Before I go hunting for the earlier one's, I'd like to share another favorite by Faiz Ahmad Faiz.

Click in this box to hear Faiz read..


Don’t Ask Me for That Love Again

That which then was ours, my love,
don’t ask me for that love again.
The world then was gold, burnished with light –
and only because of you. That’s what I had believed.

How could one weep for sorrows other than yours?
How could one have any sorrow but the one you gave?
So what were these protests, these rumors of injustice?
A glimpse of your face was evidence of springtime.
The sky, wherever I looked, was nothing but your eyes.
If You’d fall into my arms, Fate would be helpless.
All this I’d thought, all this I’d believed.
But there were other sorrows, comforts other than love.

The rich had cast their spell on history:
dark centuries had been embroidered on brocades and silks.
Bitter threads began to unravel before me
as I went into alleys and in open markets
saw bodies plastered with ash, bathed in blood.
I saw them sold and bought, again and again.
This too deserves attention. I can’t help but look back
when I return from those alleys –what should one do?
And you still are so ravishing –what should I do?

There are other sorrows in this world,
comforts other than love.
Don’t ask me, my love, for that love again.


Translation By Agha Shahid Ali
Copyright 1991, 1995 by Agha Shahid Ali

in the mood for love

love it love it love it

I am, thanks to him! (nw dis 1 i am proud of)

I am grateful to him,
who chose my mother as his bride.
I am grateful to him,
for having a second child.

I am grateful to him,
for letting me open my eyes to see,
inspite of what he could see.

I am grateful to him,
for giving me his name,
without shame.
I am grateful to him,
who let my mother live till i came.

UNTITLED (28TH JANUARY 2005)

WALK FASTER
DON'T SLOW DOWN FOR ME
I'LL STOP MOVING
IF I KNOW YOU WAIT FOR ME

THE QUICKER YOU ARE
THE FASTER I'LL GO
THE TOUGHER THE CHALLENGE
THE STRONGER I GROW

MAKE ME MY RAINBOW! (29th March 2007)

Color me red
like the sun when it sets.
Color me blue
as cool as an ice cube.
Color me with a paint brush
and mould me as you wish.

No white or grey,
it will make me say -
I thought you really loved me.
No black or green
Lets not be mean
Just say you really love me.
And paint me pink
and wink, wink, wink,
Coz' I know you really love me.
Yellow is great
brings smiles to my face,
coz' I know you'll always love me.

So yellow, pink, blue and red,
that is my rainbow,
from toe to head!

27th november 2005

Tie my hands and open my eyes.
Let my insecurity out the door.
As the fear enters and settles down.
Of losing the dream I breathed.
The hands I felt.
The smell I lived.
The words I touched.
The soul I leaned on.
Then smother me and carry on...

ME IN THE DUMPS

slap my spirit
kill my soul
stab my heart
make a hole
none to confide in
none to pat my back
all are perfect
its just me who lacks

(written in Feb 2003, probable inspiration - family and class 12 board exams!)

silly me being silly

FINGERS ON KEYS
MAKING MAGIC AS THEY GO
FEET IN SYNC
TAP TAPPING WITH THE TOE
HAND HOLDING HAND
OF THE ONE WHO LOVES YOU SO
LIPS KISSING GOODBYE
FEELING HIGH FEELING LOW

TURN

Life did take a turn,
a turn that I could see from far away.
Yet, a turn I never really thought
would come in my way.
A turn that now seems too steep for me
to be invincible like I once thought I would be.
A turn
that brought me back to reality.
Where dreams and real life
have no similarity.
A turn that hurts
too much to endure.
But to think of it,
its just one of many more.