Once you gave me

wings to fly,

told me I could

touch the sky.

Why everything

changed so much?

Why did you

burn my wings,

brought me back

down to your knees?

Life is given to us,
it will be taken away.
When and how,
we won't know-
till it is our time.

A disease or disaster,

road rage or domestic violence,

war or Mother Nature's fury,  

                     or maybe
                    
                       just love.

When my eyes met yours,
my heart felt a unique feeling.  

Is this the feeling
that the world calls love?

Sometimes, pain is the only reminder


                
                  you are still alive.

I always loved blue–
the blue sky
the blue ocean
my little blue pen.
I painted oceans on canvas
in various shades of blue.

But today, I am blue with
every bitter memory I have
of you.

I saw her walking on a full moon night ,
Wearing a silver gown ,
Her face shining like a brilliant star .
She looked at me and smiled .

I stood ,wondering who she was .
Soon, I found her standing next to me .
She greeted me with her embrace,
and a kiss upon my lips.

Alas! I  woke up -
It was only a dream.

Those who know

the art of giving

are the ones

who know the

true meaning of living.

One day, I was sitting idle,
feeling so lost, so lonely,
wishing for a friend
who would sit by me,
listen to me and make me smile.

A thought crossed my mind-
why not create a new friend?
So I decided to create one.

I took out my paints, brushes,
and a pristine canvas.
I painted a portrait of a girl.

Flowing hair, gentle eyes and
a beautiful calming smile.
I named her Ayliz (The Moon).

Now, every time I feel
lonely and sad,
I speak to her,
and she silently listens.
Her smile has healing power -
it makes me feel better.

I often wonder —

What is more painful:

to lose someone you once had,

                      or

to never have anyone to lose?

A chapter of life has ended

but the book of life is not yet complete

it's time to open a new chapter

and see what it unfolds...

What a wonderful place to be -
The world of words
Where imagination comes alive
Hopes fly high

They give joy,
tears too.

A place like no other
the world of words.

When the river of love

dries up

heart turns into desert

without any oasis in sight.

Life has turned gloomy now.

Poetry is my only light.

I share it with the world.

Truth doesn't change

just because you choose

not to believe it.

Part by part
you tore me apart.
Now you ask,
have I killed you
gently enough?

Love doesn't come and go
like waves,
doesn't change every moment,
nor does it touch only
a part of you.

Love is the ocean –
it drowns you for good.

Let my heart fill with joy.
Let go of all the sorrows.
If hope keeps the world alive,
fill my heart with hope.

Your memories still bring tears to my eyes,
please remove them from my heart.
Set my aching heart free,
let it be whole again.

Yesterday, I was nothing .
I was happy.
You pulled me down .
Treated me like trash.
It ignited a fire in me.

Now, I shine bright ,
just like the Sun .
Don't come closer
You will burn ,
In my light.

I
fell
in
love
in
an
instant

  
and


I
am
still
falling.

Memories are like clouds—

some are like the white fluffy ones

floating carelessly in the sky

bringing happiness and joy

putting a smile on the face

                    and

some are like the dark clouds

that stays, bringing with them

thunder and lightning

causes pain in the heart

and bring tears to the eyes.

I tried hard to forget,
never to look back,
not to stay still, but move on –
Yet, all roads lead me
back to your heart.

You went away from my life,
now, you are out of my sight,
but you continue to reside in my heart.

My world is not yours anymore,
your heart doesn't feel my love anymore,
you have shut me out of your life,
erased all my memories of the past.

Yet...all my efforts failed me,
for all the roads lead me
back to your heart.

Why do you worry so much?

A stalker cannot breach your heart.

For, the moment you keep someone
in your heart,

your love itself becomes a shield,
protecting your heart from all evil.

You said, "It's over"
as if it was dinner .

It is love,
it is forever.

Once I was asked..if I could,
would I trade my broken heart with a perfect new heart ?
As tempting as it was,
I said I would not.
"Strange", he said. "Why not?"
With a smile I replied

"It is my broken heart that has turned me into a poet.
Each time it aches, emotions flows like a river
from where a beautiful new poem is born ,
which then I share with the world,
to bring them a moment of joy. "

चाहत कागज़ पे लिखी कोई कविता नहीं
जिसे फाड़ कर फेंक दे कोई |
ये वो चिंगारी है जो
एक बार दिल को छू जाए तो
सारी उमर दिल में जलती रहती है |
कभी मुस्कान बनके होठों पर नज़र आती है
और कभी आंसू बनकर
आंखों से झलक जाती है|

To be the black sheep of the family —
what a terrible thing to be.

All the neighbors and relatives
heap praise on my super-successful siblings
and hurl insults at me
at the first chance they get.

I know all too well –
it is their jealousy of my siblings' success
that they take it out on me.

If success is measured by
money and fame,
I am not going to take that bait –
I am happy as I am.

Insult me all you can,
I can take it all in.
For you can only give
what you have,
and for that reason
I forgive you.

I remain the black sheep
of my family–
by choice,
at peace and forever free.

I was just a misspelled word
you so easily erased
from the notebook of your life.

                  
Now,
how do I ever erase you —
the most beautiful poem of my heart?

What will tomorrow bring?
    
           Joy
           or
        Sorrow?

        Hope
          or
       Despair?

Will the sun smile tomorrow
            or
will the clouds cry?

Will someone find love tomorrow
          or
Will a heart break?

Let's hope for the best
      but
prepare for the worst -

     because
No matter what,
Tomorrow will come.

Poetry has given me the voice

to say it to the world —

"I am a living being too,

treat me well."

Such was the nature of your love –

you didn't even care

to say goodbye.

Outside your world

I stay —

not wishing, not waiting,

and no, not stalking,

only gazing from afar

like I gaze at the stars

and the Moon.

Never looked at any other face again,
nor did I travel the road of love again.
Locked up my heart, once and for all,
for you were, are and always will be,
my one true love.
The Sun shone brightly and then,
disappeared behind the horizon.
Stars twinkled all night and then,
they too disappeared.
Storm came and gone,
leaving behind a trail of destruction.
But my love for you stayed like a rock,
never faded nor disappeared.

The world has changed so much.
But has it changed for better?
Swords are replaced by bullets .
But the killing goes on .
The thirst for blood of a fellow human being
still remains the same .
Advanced Technology, Artificial Intelligence and Drones are meant to make our life better,
But haven't they also made killing much easier ?
It really makes me wonder ,
Has the world really changed for better?

I am afraid ,
not of dying,
but to be born again .

I am afraid ,
not of my enemies ,
but to fall in love again.

I am afraid,
not of death,
but to live one more life
with a broken heart.

If you're not beautiful,
be thankful -
for beauty is a mask
that hides the real you.

People who love you
will always see the beauty in you,
no matter how you look.

Like a dream
you came to my life.
Your eyes sparkled like stars
in the dazzling sunlight
as you looked at me.
Your smile, ever so gentle-
Oh, how you smiled at me.
That was the moment
love touched me.

While sitting alone
under the shade of a tree
lost in the pages of my favorite book
an unexpected guest visited me-
a beautiful blue butterfly.
It sat on the tip of my left thumb, momentarily
then flew away
leaving me a moment of joy
a joy that still surrounds -
makes me smile.

Everyone said:
"Time heals all wounds"
Why then non of my wounds
ever healed?
The truth is-
time cannot stitch
the wounds
that are cut so deep.
It only covers them
with a layer of dust
till the next storm arrives
and carries away the dust
leaving the wounds exposed
to bleed again.

Once there was a black princess.  
Everyone thought she was cursed .
No one loved, nobody cared.
She grew up all alone.
She was brave and kind .

She fought and fought,
refused to just survive.

She fought,
never gave up.

She fought and fought ,
till her voice was heard.

She became a warrior princess,
leader of her army.
Won many battles over the years.
Her bravery was acknowledged,
even by her enemies.

And when it was time
to sit on the throne,
she became a noble queen.

What was once a beautiful bond
is now broken.
What's left is a shattered heart.
Anxiety fills my thoughts all day,
keeps me awake all night.
Once a beautiful dream
now turned to a nightmare.

I look for peace
nowhere to be found.
How do I mend
the broken bond?
Everything feels so lost -
waiting for a ray of hope.

"Forget about him.
Let him go.
Don't think.
Just let go,"
So they say.

"Well ,why not?" I said
"How hard can it be?"

I kept thinking about forgetting him,
then fell asleep.
There he was again,
smiling in my dream,
as if saying, "Happy forgetting."

A happy face I saw– unknown,
yet it felt so familiar,
like someone I have known,
That smile, that face,
why can't I forget?

Were you for real,
or just a dream
my waking eyes
happened to see?

When there is a storm outside,
you take shelter in your home
till the storm passes.

What do you do
when there's a storm
inside you?
How do you run away?
Where do you hide?

All you can do is
stay in it-
let it tear you apart.

Destruction caused by war,
Innocent lives lost,
Everything turned to dust .

Where do we pick up
How do we rebuild
How do we overcome the grief
of the loss of our loved ones

How do we begin again
How do we find the strength to move on
How do we live on
when everything is gone


         TOGETHER

we can - if we join hands.

There never was any love,  
only your imagination
that created it.

You built walls of suspicion,
turned friend into foe,
for a love that never was.

Your own doubts
have made your heart fragile,
turned you bitter.

Sometimes, very rarely,
if you are lucky,
you might meet someone
out of nowhere—
who teaches you
to smile,
even when your heart
is heavy with pain
and your eyes
are filled with tears.

What good does a war do ?
Taking lives of civilians and soldiers alike,
destroying livelihoods.

What good does a war do ?
You killed my people, I killed yours -
the cycle goes on and on .

What good does a war do?
Fighting for a piece of land-
what good is a piece of land
if all your loved ones are dead ?

What good does a war do?
Polluting air , damaging crop lands -
what good will it do if you have poison to breathe, no food to eat?

Don't we have enough
cause to fight-
climate change, global warming, ever -rising pollution?

It is not the time to fight each other but to stand together with each other.

I searched everywhere.

Couldn't find anywhere.

Nowhere to be found.

I am lost.

There's a pain in my heart
It doesn't go away
Does it hurt because it's broken?
Or is it because you are the reason
Is this what you called love?
Making promises and then leave,
Tearing my heart apart.
My heart is pure, so was my love for you
You were too blind to see
Lucky are those who are being loved
Someday perhaps, it will be my time
To be loved.

I am not what you wanted me to be.
I am not what you thought I should be...

Not a scientist,
nor a teacher.

Not a doctor,
nor an engineer.

What am I?
A trailblazer...

I do not follow,
I lead.