Is it not a wonder
how your emotions
stitch these words together
Like a well knitted sweater

Is it not inspiring
how your sadness
strengthens the ones reading
But you're still bleeding

Poets should fall
in love with
poets
Leave the rest to
appreciate their
poems

Is it not beautiful
the way your mind
crafts and creates imagery
Marrying imagination and reality

Is it not intelligent
the way your words
coalesce together
Your journals, chests of treasure

Poets should fall
in love with
poets
Leave the rest to
appreciate their
poems

Is it not charming
that you aim to
be different than the indifferent
societies past and present

Is it not valorous
that you strive to
rebel with just a pen
Deep within the lion's den

Your emotions deep, your heart is true
They read your writing but fail to read you

I reaffirm,
Poets should fall
in love with
poets
And
Leave the rest to
appreciate their
poems

Time is stagnant
I have tried
pushing all the buttons

It hasn't changed
for all my efforts -
this period tiresome

Gray skies
Not a drop of rain
Not a hint of the sun

This life is
too overwhelming
I'm ready for the next one

They left to
defend your honor
They left to
defend your shrine
The false promise
of your heaven
In their juvenile minds
Armed with evil
heavier than
their own weight
God,
Tell me why the snow is red
Tell me why my brothers are dead

They left to
defend our mothers
They left to
defend our wives
The passion burns
in their blood
To protect the last child
Shouldered with
the burden that
the uniform dictates
Minister,
Tell me why the snow is red
Tell me why my brothers are dead

There is a strange
turbulence in the air
The wind reeks
of wanton violence
I feel the same rage,
I feel the same pain
I yearn for peace
and risk your hate
With your answer
my mind might change
So,
Tell me why the snow is red
Tell me why my brothers are dead

I would
Gladly open
The windows
Of my heart
But I'm afraid
The weather
Is too cloudy
For your liking

I shiver
and
I writhe
The temperature
continues
to rise
Pain pushes
tears out
of my eyes
Fever came
to visit me
last night
And She
didn't leave
this time
And I never stopped to wonder why.

Body broken
Paralysed is
the mind
Ears tired
of the
preacher's advice
Eyes crave
a shield from
the sunshine
A hand to
caress beneath
the hairline
A pledge
of healing
from inside
Oh, you fool. You are so naive.


Vanquished by
the collective
apathy of reality
Imprisoned,
I swallow these
chemicals with servility
I shelter them
In the bloodstream
Treat the symptoms
Not the disease
I know
She will return again
someday with a surprise
And even though I am
Terrified
I will just take a pill
and tell Her I am fine.

At first
Change is strange
But then
Change is good

More often than not,
Some people should

Now that
I have
learnt my place
It is time
To teach
Them theirs

दो पल रुक जाओ
गुफ्तगू अभी बाकी है
दिल में कई ख्याल है
मन में कई सवाल है
उन्हें शब्दों में कहने तो दो

न जाओ इतनी जल्दबाजी में
अब बेबसी में ही मज़ा है
और इनाम में भी सजा है
इश्क़ जो हुआ है हमें
उसका दर्द सेहने तो दो

I miss the Norwesters
I miss the heavy rains
I miss hurrying to catch a bus
Completely drenched

Oh Kolkata!
Without you I am
Like a fish out of water

I miss the olden buildings
I miss the bustling streets
I miss riding the tramway
With a song playing on repeat

Oh Kolkata!
Without you I am
But a fish out of water

I miss the winter sunsets
I miss evenings by the lake
I miss Maharaja's kachoris
And jalebis on a steel plate

Oh Kolkata!
Without you I am
Just a fish out of water

I miss the yellow taxis
I miss the hawkers' stalls
I miss the political graffiti
Adorning the walls

Oh Kolkata!
Without you I am
Still a fish out of water

Now I'm so far
But yet so near
My heart can't shelter
These hopes and fears
Rejection, reduction
I feel choked once again
Within your walls of nostalgia
Maybe I'll be safe

Oh Kolkata!
Show me a way
To return to the water

I regret
Not fighting enough for you
Because the clock's ticking
And wedding bells are ringing

You were never
Mine to lose
But I lost you
All the same

Would I craft
A thousand lines
Were it not
In your name?


Time will heal -
So you say
Distance will
**** these feelings

Should I try
And resent you?
I just cannot
Find a reason


Now my weeks
Are bleak
from the drink
And the damnation

Intoxicated
I stumble on
A path of
Self-destruction


A poet's love
Will not be
Extinguished
So easily

Not until
I'm playing
In my own
Greek Tragedy

The fluorescent streetlamp shone
As you spoke
The pavement and I
Keen with interest
While the street shook
With the roars of busy travellers

And the smoke kept rising..


The neons blinked to life
When you smiled
The tree-leaves and I
Rustled with excitement
As the gentle wind
Tickled in on a late summer's eve

And the smoke kept rising..


The taillights stopped
As you accelerated
The world and I
Saw you move farther
And farther away
Vanishing into the darkness

And the smoke cleared away..

Do not tell me
It is not love
That fills me with joy -
The sight of
Your lips
Pulling at the corners
When you break into
A smile
Even if
I am burnt out
From inside

Do not tell me
It is not love
That raises my heartbeat -
The tension
In my nerves
When your
Eyes shine
Moist and sad
Too short to notice
Yet still I do
The narrowest span

Do not tell me
It is not love
That soothes my mind -
The sound
Of your voice
A symphony
Of fresh notes,
gentle chimes
The wind bears
Them once
I perceive them thrice

A fool undoubtedly, but one out of his time
Ancient are my thoughts, yet present is my crime
If this isn't love, I don't know what is
If this isn't love, then educate me

They said
Feelings do not matter
But facts do
What if it is fact
The way I feel
For you?

What new Hell
Have I
gotten myself into?

I wonder
If I ever come as
An unannounced guest
In your mind
Because you stay in mine
Always welcome
All the time

I wonder
If you're unimpressed
By the cover; I urge you
To take a peek within
You'll never know the narrative
If you've made your mind
Before you begin

I wonder
What felt sadder
To have your heart broken
Or shattering mine?
I thought I was the victim
But maybe falling in love
Is the crime

I wonder
If both of us are broken
Why not trade each other
Pieces of our souls
See if we can find
Edges that fit and
Close these gaping holes

I wonder
If we had more time
Would it be any different
Than how it is today?
Would you find me worthy?
Or would you still
Push me away?

I bring out a bottle
I keep the ashtray close
I open the northern window
And let in the midnight breeze

A bud lit like a firefly
A lone light in a dark room
Beyond which urban neons
And streetlamps illume

Smoke rises over my head
Like a thought bubble
In a graphic novel
Pages untouched and unturned

The hour of monsters
The rest of humanity rests
While the night shift begins
For the thoughts in my head

Illusory sensations begin
Could it be the spirits?
Or conscious daydreaming
In the middle of the night?

I catch a glimpse
Of a pair of eyes
Hurrying away from the window
As soon as they met mine

My mind is tired
The ****** soothes,
The drink gives warmth
To the parched traveller inside

Cramps in my nerves
Pain in my bones
The bedroom beckons
Its 3AM. It's getting cold

I collapse on the sheets
My mind too dreary
To contemplate, once I sleep
What nightmares await me

I reckon I have resigned
To Fate, this grim Hell
Because I know Tonight
Is coming Tomorrow as well

Put me to sleep
I'm so tired of the day
And so scared of the night
Your thoughts have made my mind
Their playground

Put me to sleep
For when my eyes open
There's you, or the want of you
And the certain reality that our
Roads have un-wound

Put me to sleep
Because I have to see you tomorrow
And pretend to be someone else
And all I wish to say to you
Must be spoken sans sound

Put me to sleep
I hate this reality
I hate this passing time
I hate the thought of the moment that
Will come with despair profound

Put me to sleep
Maybe I'll find you in dreams
Stitched from happy memories
Or scribbled pages, or olden journals
Where my delusions abound

Her hair is fire
Her face the summer sun

Warmth to the world
But scalding to one

Her eyes are ebony
With a seldom shine

That awaken tremors in
Fragile heart of mine


On the bridge between
Fantasy and reality

My thoughts shape
Hope and sanctuary

I gaze down at
The chasm underneath

Hoping to escape
Wishful thinking


On one end
A faint shadow stands

On the other
An absurd fairyland

Edicts of silence
Echo through my spine

What am I waiting for?
Maybe her voice divine..