ज्येष्ठ तप रहा जी भर
जीना हो गया दुष्कर
सूखकर त्वचा हो गई खुश्क
आंखों में बचा‌ ना कोई अश्क
मरुधर की गर्मी में
ना उमस का नाम
हवा चले तो लू बन के
लेवे सबकी जान
सिर ओढे कोई गमछा
कोई बैठे टोपी तान
नींबू पानी, बेल शरबत
डाले शरीर में कुछ जान
कूलर एसी निष्प्रभावी हुए
खाना-पीना‌,नींद छू मंतर हुए
जब आंधी का‌ भूचाल आए
तोड़ दे अधमरे पेड़
सारे पशु पक्षी सिसकें
चाहे बकरी हो या भेड़
सूर्य के आर्कोश से
हैं सभी सन्न
धरती कहे इन्द्र से
अब देरी करो ना राजन।

it hurts to watch you stand alone
in a world turned into silent stone
i wanted you to be happy
i wanted you to be okay
but now you're on your own
every single day
i can't really stand it
this misery of mine
circulation cutting off
with a single piece of twine
it doesn't have to be me
as long as you're happy
you're too far away
and i've missed you all day
you don't have to toy with me
you're the only boy for me
i know there's someone out there
who will make you
so
much
happier

.
… and the look of fear
co-existing with pain
     on a contorted face
that knows
it is in mortal difficulty,
as ragged fingers

     clutch,

          clutch,

at a fire they cannot reach,
ripping agonies react,
     to an enforced cardiac episode,
as blackness closes in
gravity heaves its hardest,
but the fall is fake,
a red herring in the event,
     and the weight of the world

presses down, searching,
retracts
waiting,
presses down, searching,
retracts
waiting,

as breath is given freedom
in exhalation to the light,
     that slowly rolls back
the pitch hue of the void,
returning back images,
feeling,
a new belief,

          and the fire inside quietens,

                    and the fire inside quietens,

to the intense glow
     of a burnt aching heart.



© Pagan Paul (2018)