Snail
overtakes a car
in my driveway . . .

today
just half a slice -
     in the sky

street dogs
settle some issue, while
     the neighborhood sleeps

midnight sounds
of countless crickets –
     air conditioner joins in

out and about
in the rain -
dragonflies

In a tearing hurry, came the clouds
bellies fat, moods dark
They swallowed the moon
They chewed the stars
     each one
          one by one
Whole night the show was on
boom bang – fury & twang

When they were done,
I surveyed my ground:
     dripping trees
          shivering leaves
               wet petals
          twinkle eyes
     an azure sky, and
One angry sun.

[ Translation of Ghazal
“Dil Mein Ek Lehar Si Uthi Hai Abhi”
Poet: Nasir Kazmi ]

Heart flutters –
with a new beat
A fresh breeze is on the move

An uproar in cavern-of-heart,
down goes
     some wall

Fragile spirits
and now, a new scar

Foggy ghosts of forgotten isles
still –
echo your voice

Down the dark alleys
searching …
for you

bright full moon
rises over the horizon, and
     entangles in the mobile tower

blazing sun
sends his love --
       sweet mangoes

this evening,
moon is aloof and pale ...
miss the sun, my friend?

pond reflects
the clouds, which
tumbled in yesterday

on front porch
upright i stand, balancing
a million stars

dark and menacing,
an army is on the move
in eastern sky

gently i descend the heavens,
on a feathery whiff
silky mane fluttering.

approaching planet
deep blue
or, is it
some shade of grey?

landed on
umm... helipad?

i fill my lungs
with the air perfumed
  cough cough
-- maybe not.

so much for
mama' s tall tales!

kicking a hoof,
leap i go
into the nearest forest
or, whatever is left of it.

"yes, ma'am" "yes, ma'am" ...
rings out at my home
lockdown side-effects

tulsi bush sways
left and right
music, by crickets

a giant once walked this land
gautama, the Buddha
a giant, if ever there was one

hearts this parched,
minds this feeble.
for such a tribe,
why did he walk
the walk?

he saw -
clear,
and loud

each of us
has the spark
to be -
the giant that he was.

sweet slumber
neighbor's child -
calling granny

trailing fluff
a doughnut cloud
flies east

death?
an image,
of what would be (or could be).
a projection of the mind.

life?
in the face, against the skin
the raw fact, pulsating
buzz...
the real.

life is
a struggle.
life has to be earned -
each day.
making choices,
reviewing old ones.

newborn's first cry!
the urgency, the hunger,
with which we arrive.

Life&Death is -
a daily affair.
let the meaningful live.
let the pointless die.
each day.
  each moment.
    this very moment.

midnight rain
jasmine branch
  nods approvingly

we walk on a razor's edge,
you and me.

i am trying hard
not to stumble.

walk on dear,
past the grave.
walk tall,
walk perfect.
ok, perfect may take a little time.

i admit though,
that was one good walk.

if i may,
where do you live?
where do you breathe?
whence do i seek?

shall i plunder some far-away lands
or, behold the wildflowers sprouting on my roof?
shall i aim the telescope at milky way
or, melt into my love's mellow eyes?

you see, i was told --
poetry arrives donning pieces of the seeker,
pieces long lost, or yet to be found.

Breath
rushes in.
moves out.

Again,
   rushes in.

Who breathes?
does anyone, at all?
Amazing!

i heard
about many rescues.

rescued from the tower,
left in a dinghy.
rescued from the dinghy,
left on a island.

i also heard
about the final act
The act of waking up, and
rescuing oneself.

then, LIFE!