Stan

Clots & plaques in a rotten society’s arterial path, Do the tarnished memories of a good time revert back? The rails go beyond the horizon; punching a hole like Mike Tyson, Toughen up, little soldier, I got your back. Tears so perpetual she does not need glycerine, Can speak a thousand words but, alas, no […]

Don’t Do It

Don’t do it. To the citizen of the nation, I say: If you can lend a hand, don’t do it. If you can continue to pretend, don’t do it. If you can comprehend, don’t do it. If you have any empathy left, don’t do it. If each vote of yours is for the dictator, don’t […]

Fight The Machine

Dragging the other down to climb that ladder Conscience fading; clinging on to heavy death metal Listening to fables about broken bodies on broken tables How are we even supposed to act stable? We are all believing the lies coming via cable Lines are blurred between the messenger and the machine We are busy watching […]

Break of dawn

Yes, the surreptitious fade away They come back on rare nights but you ain’t there Not an ounce of care Rejoice: for you are free from the noise The power that they once possessed ain’t there The final form on the perfect timeline The canvas filled with candles & love bites Truth or dare? I […]

The Reason

In the times of my confession And the smoke of cigarettes When the coffee is an outer body experience And I am riding a bike of no regrets Each moment of mine will sing out loud The melody, lyrics & quotes Wasn’t life a backdrop? A backdrop for memories & thoughts The vessel to feel […]

My Heart

Finally, the birds fly away Towards the Northern skies for their homes All together, yet apart, Whole; yet alone. The winds carry messages and memories On the travelling smoke lies our demons & struggles What am I if I am not for another? Who am I if I am not there for someone else’s struggle? […]

The Train

On a garrulous, endless trip On a train that has no destination I had a company of faceless persons That revealed no names, region & religion A few did, but chose to not reveal; a few had, but I forget. My priority was to save my love My priority was to retain us. To not […]

Cheesecake

The involuntary pursuit for that final lunge at the unknown Thoughts, body & shrouds of soul sprayed all over the floor The tapestry that is the unseen and undrawn masterpiece The trials, tribulations, tears and defeats. Broken days move forwards to meet and respawn into more brokenness The journey of the serious acted in jest […]

Confessions of a Man

It is time we have to kill. Cool, either we make out or talk? Either ways, I penetrate your penetralium. My confessions are varied and contain contradictions. I will not be able to explain it all in one go: I contain multitudes. If you distill me to my confessions, it is unjust. If you see […]

Nietzsche

Burn in one’s own flame Rise from your own ashes The Camel, The Lion, The Child. The Apprentice, The Creative, The Sublime. Reliving all mistakes, all feelings, all passions. Resisting, fighting, sharpening, growing. Kissing, breaking, dancing, hating. Over and over again. The nature is me. I am you. We are cut from the same cloth. […]

Memories/Stories

God is dead: We killed her/him/it With violence, with our conformity, with our silence With rationality, arguments, and reasons, With our turning coats and changing with seasons. Even an atheist has his hell It is the love for those he cares for; and not receiving it in return. It is memories that he buys and […]

In the Night

I understand. I know why we are here. To share our solitude, hold our embrace, kiss that smile. In the still of the night. To make mistakes, to dance underneath the moonlight, to lose our minds, In the thrill of the night. To share stories, to understand and be understood, to explain our times, In […]

The End

*Crash* Eyes blurry, weary, tired. Do not remember how I got here but some transient moments of clarity do come. I do remember the backdrop; I just forget the context. Where am I again? It is complex. There was a dinner planned and what was her name again? Gotta get up fast. Remember. Her condition […]

Vows

Again, away from the darkness as we drink, There are thoughts relived in the songs my mother sings And I believe; in all the shades of you I see The stars in the sky tonight exist for thee. In the forever and beyond As I stare into her eyes I realise they are my reason […]

The Orb

The crystal balls lied. It was dark inside Lack of light. Out of sight. But not out of mind. Still a process to come back to life. High as a kite. Or a cold turkey. Atheist or “my lord have mercy”. We all approach the same demise. It is just that I thought I found […]

Rise

Drinking from broken glass Living on hardened stones Ignited by the fascist fires Burning bodies, souls & bones Times they change yet stay the same Oppressor & oppressed A debt that shall be paid with interest Breaking the King’s chest Mother, I’ll be late for dinner Will just chew on broken thorns Drinking the ocean’s […]

he-who-must-not-be-named

paint me red. consume me like red wine. every master is a guardian of death. all liars believe in the divine. yes, i am a liar too, though. when i say i can take the pain away. but i can take you higher. higher than any drug ever will. make you the smoke in the […]

the rainy day story

when we reach the end it will not matter whether we were right or wrong the birds do not judge, they just sing the swan song and the righteous still cling on to their flags of inconsequence while the hurricane it sweeps all off the same it is the story of that putrid, ghastly rain […]

bourbon art

there was a bourbon called “enigma in a glass” made from the most magical, even sized, pure, golden, maize seeded in the magnificent mountain ranges, hand picked by the mountain workers that worship the grounds processed in those large wooden canisters that had the scent of an un-lived childhood memory liquid gold. which once poured, […]

aankhon ke sapne: kuch uske; kuch mere

maine dekhe hai vo sapne uski aankhon me jinme maine bachpan me ek kaagaz ki naav chalai thi jab mera dil ek dhadkan bhul betha tha jinme me bina piye chuur betha tha maine dekhi hai vo hakiqat uski aankhon me jinme me yaadein bhul jaata hun jinme mujhe apne ateet ke chehre saaf nahi […]

guns down

killing in the names of my god are no different from the killings in yours we have become so numb we don’t even count bullets anymore when was the last time we sat together and sang songs? hugged and told each other that it will be okay. hold each others’ hands through the new day […]

me/society

i just stuck by mine. through the thick and thin of it you distill the essence of me and all you will find is the reality of always me being me when i found the shoe that fit i stuck to it even when it was worn out and old the people that did not […]

3

lights. camera. action. baby steps. tantrums. laughter. books. basketball. beach. private. personal. unknown. a ploy. a plot. a charade. a ventriloquist. a zeitgeist. a masquarade. a speech. a conversation. a debate. a vibe. a zone. a culture. trials. tribulations. triumphs. sweat. blood. tears. strengths. passion. fears. a few days. a few months. a few years. […]

forever in a trance

obstentatioxsly conscious an aware subterfuge a state of nirvana in a trance, a fugue huge; if the world is mine but nothing if i lose myself a victory if i conquer everything a bigger defeat if i lose a friend yes, the applause will be loud and the accolades justified but will it be worth […]

dying light

the dying light in broad daylight the rainless clouds and the smog filled nights “how do we now fly kites?”, ask the kids and their innocent eyes the parents take no notice. busy with misinformation on news hate filled & forwarding messages “do you know how wrong the other religion/caste/community/political party is?!”, having no time […]

Phil Brooks’ Pipebombs

The year is 2023; a CM Punk in a parallel universe is sick and tired of douchebags riding a high horse, speaking shit out of turn & saying things they know nothing about. The truth can stand up straight on its own two feet; no wonder fat fucks always sit. The following are excerpts from […]

versus

it is gonna take a while to re-align to re-focus and stand the test of time. arguments can continue in a respectful form with upper-cuts that cut through words stands are important. stands bring change. reason brings revolution. conversations change culture. remember, in case of an emergency, the fire exit gates are located on the […]

carousel

as i was cleaning my glasses on another quiet day with my solitude the carousel stopped abruptly at your face with you smiling at that restaurant i forget the name of with your eyes on me i forget the eyes too: they were big and contained dreams what was your name again? i do not […]

vo tere mere ishq ka- part 2

ek baat pe jal gaye ek baat pe badal gaye chalte raste mud gaye beech mausam dhal gaye ye pyaar nahi, kuch aur hi tha ye saath nahi, kuch aur hi tha ye tere mere rishte ka ek anjaana sa daur hi tha vo tu kuch aur hi thi vo main kuch aur hi tha […]

here

long time coming, the comprehensive fugue, the realisation, the quest, the journey finally, here. beyond the easy, expected & known beyond the gaze & the applause, beyond the norms and feelings, beyond love and hate. finally, here. it is never lonely at the top. the actual bracketed “alone” are those that stay at the bottom […]

when the world ends tomorrow

when the world ends tomorrow the question is not of if but when what will be your last mistake, the last attempt to end the sorrow if there is a heart that comes in the way, break it. if there is an infirmary you have to fake, fake it. if there is an ocean to […]

the pursuit of truth

far roamed the wanderer asking questions from others to find answers in self for their sorrow was his own; just as their happiness was his. he found: mountains, beaches & deserts. rats, cats & leopards. students, traitors & teachers murderers, liars & preachers. he found a little of himself in all; and yet all were […]

us/them

“i was discriminated against for being from my caste”-1 upper caste in 10,000 “i was discriminated against for being from my caste”-9,999 reserved citizens in 10,000 “i do not care about the system”-privileged “i live on minimum wage because of the system”-oppressed “i hate to vote”-priviliged “i only exist because of my vote”-oppressed “i only […]

anon

“tumhare naam pe aayenge gham gusaar chale” if the torn petals were meant to rot where are the bullets that were bought? why are they still unused? why don’t we light the fuse? if you are a charlatan, how am i any less? the keeper of memories; the privileged, the blessed. lucky are those that […]

french restaurant

how soon is now? if i ask for your hand and put in it flight tickets for two to paris then, ask you to get in a tiny car where our feet don’t fit properly and drive, while telling you stories and making you laugh, all the way to french riviera sip on french press […]

blue

how tempest blow the southern winds singing and asking questions; in varied riddles and puzzles, the answers were varied and enumerated as such he spoke candidly as he sipped on the poisonous cup: “he is a mighty aware man; with might lies, his lips speak false; truth in his eyes. he is you if you […]

right here

the scrambled puzzle pieces were right there each complete in itself yet waiting for a fix be it a cocaine shot, a whiskey or a kiss apart a part, together a whole need a bigger view to see the perspective wide, in remembrance of the oak tree the seeds of which were planted a long […]

मंच

and, so it begins… rebuilding from the smouldering embers the flame long forgotten: anger? maybe. the emotion is different: steaming from a place that can be explained; we are our childhood, we are our memories; now finally, i end my watch: of empathising and “figuring things out” now i go on the journey i chose […]

de gaye

beet gayi so beet gayi, ab baaton se kya? ab milke kya karein, inn fariyaadon se kya? sapne me kyu aane lagte ho, inn raaton se kya? aur saamne hoke bhi chup hi rahte ho to inn yaadon se kya? humne maana faqat kuch hi roz ki hai zindagi aur tujh bin chal rahi hai […]

tu

yes,there were stars shining bright.and i took notice of the moon too.the darkness was vast and definitely nicebut i spent my night in her eyes.consumed on the drinks her dirty brown pouredwas the only thing making this drunken knave go onthe ink that were her lipswere this poet’s only weaponthe butter that was her neckmelted […]

moving on

“this is goodbye, my dear i send my regards as i hold back tears i am glad for the times you were near maybe we will forget about each other in a few years.” and so stated the man, moving on again. mixing the tears in rain. dancing to the crowd of one. leaving behind […]

once and only once

i kissed her once and only once felt the rain once and only once watched the dawn with her once and only once waited for her once and only once tried really hard once and only once gave up on her once and only once made love to her all night once and only once […]

victory

when he walked the line balancing life and death he kept his promises and held on to the words they said climbing the ladder fighting the demons trying; flying; defying finally, he reached the summit he achieved the promised glory finished the story. now, he stands on the top. alone and free. he carries his […]

kashmir

i wake up to the fears, of the drowning of the trembling tears in your eyes; i escape, and re-awake, the monster that had forever stayed inside; awaiting pain, smelling fear, i come near to you and looks you straight in the eyes; and there is no way to go, you give in and are […]

chale jao. ghar banao.

kabhi the to kabhi nahi jaise khuda jo guzar gayi vo guzar gayi sabr karte karte kabr ab kya kahoge yahan? chale jao. ghar banao. rahamat-e-tamaam tabah hai izm ke band-aa-ish main bin kaaran ki khwaahish bin meethe-taqalum ki baatain kaise reh paogi? chale jao. ghar banao. yaha bas ek insaan hai bin samaaj ki […]

revelation

you wake up one morning and everything makes sense you have the answers, in sync with the reality. you understand everything; the angels and the demons. the drive and the reasons. the freedom and the prison. you wake up and you are you again. consumed again. renewed again. letting go. hanging on. with insight. with […]

the book club

it was more than just reading: it was my first hindi literature for you it might be diagon alley, for me it will always be chu mantar gali. it was my first literal crush in hermoine my cramming of stats of professional wrestling my escape into silence the voice to not cause violence it was […]

khidki

betha hai dekh aaj yaar bhi mehfil me talaash me pyaasa tadpa jaaye bas paani ki aas me me khud me gum hun ya gum hun tujhme yehi to sawaal hai aankhein teri hi har paheli ka jawaab hai bheetar ghut ta aasmaan bhi baadalon ke jaal me bin baarish vo bhi sukha fas raha […]

sympathy for the devil

there are tornadoes in wisconsin uprooting trees and stories history remains stoic apathetic to lovers and poets a news flash, a heart attack, a gun clash, a breakdown there are wails that make no sound there are birds in aizwal that fly cascades in the forest that stand dry an old gun slinger that still […]

shikva

har saal pichle saal ki tarah nahi rehta kuch khayal nahi rehte kuch apne nahi rehte har samaa uss samay jaisa nahi hota vo bhi ek pal tha ye bhi ek pal hai aage bhi ek pal aaega shayad iss samay se behtar shayad kharaab shayad hum apne gile shikvo ko bhul ek nayi shuruat […]