Alone

Alone! that worn-out word,
So idly spoken, and so coldly heard;
Yet all that poets sing,
and grief hath known,
Of hopes laid waste,
knells in that word--Alone.
- [Alone]


Edward George Earle Lytton Bulwer-Lytton, first Baron Lytton

But the good deed...

But the good deed, through the ages
Living in historic pages,
Brighter grows and gleams immortal,
Unconsumed by moth or rust.

- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Norman Baron

Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer... ~Russell Baker

Life's like this...

Life sometimes brings us such people, who definitely deserve a mention. Here I go...

Last Sunday, a friend and I were walking back from the make-do market in our locality , when a couple stopped their car next to us, and asked if they could give us a ride, and drop us somewhere. It was late in the evening, we were drenched, and carrying heavy grocery bags. And of course, there were no autos around.

It turned out that we were headed in a different direction from them. We thanked them all the same, for the kind gesture. We were really over whelmed that there still are such people around! They had actually gone a little ahead, and reversed over to stop by our side, to offer us the lift! To top it, they didn't care that we'd drip and ruin their expensive upholstery!

We blessed them, as they went by, and continued on our way, still talking of their goodness...

बुलबुल मेरे चमन की

बुलबुल एक और मेरे चमन की, उड़ चली घरोंदा नया बनाने.
"जुट जाए नया ठिकाना उसका", सोच कर लगा था उसे उड़ाने.
खड़ा हूँ ख़ाली हाथ मलता अब मैं यहाँ
के चली है वो घरोंदा नया बनाने...
ठिकाना नया जुटाने
मेरे इस चमन को वीरान थोडा और करके!


bulbul ek aur mere chaman ki, ud.a chali gharon.daa nayaa banaane
"juT jaaye nayaa Thikaanaa uskaa", soch kar lagaa thaa use ud.aane
khad.aa huu.n khaali haath maltaa ab mai.n yahaa.n
ki chali hai vo gharon.daa nayaa banaane...
Thikaanaa nayaa juTaane
mere isa chaman ko viraa.n thod.aa aur karke!

न हो मग़रूर इश्क़ में इतना, के जो माँगा, मिला है.
जिससे बिचड़ा है कोई, ग़म क्या है, उसे पता है!

फिर उठेंगे क्या जाने दुआ में ये, के नहीं,
भरे हैं हाथ तेरे उससे जो मिल गया है.

न हो मग़रूर ख़ुशी में इतना, के जो माँगा, मिला है.
न हो मग़रूर इतना, के तुझे ग़म से मेरे गिला है.

जिससे बिछड़ा है कोई, ग़म क्या है, उसे पता है!
जिससे छूटा है कोई, ग़म क्या है, उसे पता है!


na ho mag.roor ishq mei.n itnaa, ke jo maangaa, milaa hai.
jisase bichad.aa hai koi, g.am kya hai, use pataa hai!

phir uthe.nge kya jaane duaa mein ye, ke nahi.n,
bhare hai.n haath tere usase jo milgaya hai.

na ho mag.roor kh.ushi mei.n itnaa, ke jo maangaa, milaa hai.
na ho mag.roor itnaa, ke tujhe g.am se mere gila hai.

jisase bichad.aa hai koi, g.am kya hai, use pataa hai!
jisase chhuuTaa hai koi, g.am kya hai, use pataa hai!

Perceptions!

He sets us tasks we each must do,
and the paths on which to travel.
He sets us tasks per what we ask
of life, or of him straight.

I asked to travel, and now I can't...
'was puzzled why this be so!
I asked to travel...He sets me off
on life's many ways!

The mystery I could unravel--
This is what He construed is 'travel,'
and let me have it!

Bathed in gold, a perfect orb;
Onto the deep deep blue,
The moon emerged in all his glory!
Compliments they were, each to each,
And together looked lovely!

Higher up by now,
A cloudy garland around;
The sky's less deep blue and
He now shines silvery!

गुज़र जाए न  किसी बीते लम्हे सा,
लिख जा नाम अपना, या ख़ुद ही तारीख़ हो जा.

मुड़के देखता है कौन किसको यहाँ
मसरूफ़ है ज़माना इस कदर
गुज़र जा ख़ामोश किसी राह से बेशक!
मग़र अपने होने की कोई निशानी दे जा

लाम पे जाता नहीं हर एक कोई,
किसी मायूस को बस एक मुस्कुराहट दे जा.
लिखने बैठे तो बस सोचता ही न रहे,
लिखने वाले को अपनी कहानी दे जा.

guzar jaaye na kisii biite lamhe saa,

likh jaa naam apnaa, yaa khud hii taariikh ho jaa.

mud.a ke dekhtaa hai kaun kisko yahaa.n
masruuf hai zamaanaa is kadar
guzar jaa khaamosh kisi raah se beshaq!
magar apne hone kii koii nishaanii de jaa.

laam pe jaataa nahii.n har ek koii
kisii maayuus ko bas ek muskuraahaT de jaa
likhne baiThe to bas sochtaa hii na rahe,
likhne vaale ko apnii kahaanii de jaa.