Aftaab kay dhalnay kay baad
Chaand ki roshni kay jadoo may
Sitaron ki chadar kay nichay
Tumhari kaali zulfo kay talay
Meray khwabo ki jannat hai
Ek arsa ** gaya woha gayay huay
Kabhi ek martaba ayo toh mera pass
Meri rooh ko ek ajeeb sa sukoon milega
Aur Mera dil ka ghar khushi si khil uthega
(Urdu and Hindi)

English Translation

After the setting of the sun
In the magic of the moonlight
Under the blanket of stars
Underneath your black hair
Lies my paradise of dreams
It's been ages since I've been there
Just come to me once
My soul will feel a strange sense of comfort and relief
And the home of my heart will flourish with joy

I took my girlfriend
for breakfast at Ruby Tuesday,
We both had waffles
and I felt a sense of
Satisfaction from the sublime
maple syrup.  On our way out
the waitress said, don't be
a stranger, I Miss You.
At the time, me and the
old lady were homeless,
it began to rain, she
cried and said, please baby
Gimme Shelter.
Don't worry, I said,
I'm gonna come to
your Emotional Rescue.
She cried even harder,
and I said, Angie I know
it *****, but You Cant Always
Get What You Want.
Truth be told, we're just
Tumbling Dice.
But we're Happy.
And through her tears, she smiled
and said, you will always be
Under my Thumb~

One of my
earliest memories is
of afternoons in
the backyard, standing on
a wrought iron chair that
was painted
lime green.
My creativity was feral
The paint was peeling,
And the sun beat down
upon me.

I was 5 years old.
and the Genesis of my
writing career began.
Below my chair was a plastic
swimming pool filled with water.
I sang leaving on a jet plane  I
I understood pathos,
and plot, and melancholia.
In my mind, I was a man
leaving a woman.
As I jumped into the pool
I could smell loneliness.
And I understood the
descent, the separation,
the sadness.

And in my little life,
and in my big heart,
under that hot July sun,
The poet was born.

Friends, this is a short reflective poem which I have recently composed for you. Hope you like the same, - Raj, 27 March 2021, New Delhi.

       * REFLECTION OF ETERNITY*
The old withered man had wide big eyes,
His eyes had the color of deep blue sky.
His white long beard had few streaks of
Black.
While matted locks of snowy hair flowed
down his back.
He sat on a pavement wearing a faded
dusty cloak,
Mostly remained ignored, while some
even laughed calling him an old bloke!
Few coins were tossed inside a small
bowl lying by his side,
As he sat on the pavement with nothing
to declare or hide.

Perhaps he was caught up in Time’s wrap
woven by destiny and fate.
It was difficult to tell if he was sane or
insane,
Or how many moons had passed over
his head.
Perhaps he waited to be liberated from
this earthly cycle of life and death.
Since his wide blue eyes mirrored eternity,  
As he stared into the fathomless depth
of celestial blue space!
                                           -Raj Nandy, New Delhi.

Thoughts,
like fingers trailing in the water of a quiet lake,
making ripples that fan out and eventually fade
into the stillness that makes reverie a balm
to mend the broken pieces of my wounded spirit.

Small boat
big enough for only two but I’m alone and very still,
paddles stowed and sunhat on, I drift
on currents imperceptible and slow
in directions that the birds won’t tell me.

Pine Trees
on the distant shore, unmoving in the tiny breeze,
create the vision of a cool and private place of safety
not for me, but for all those I cannot see but know
are sheltered in their shadowed depths.

Tiny Fishes
going happily about their business, clearly seen
beneath my little boat in water that’s so clear
they seem just inches from my trailing fingers,
Unafraid that they might be in danger.

Dragonfly
neon needle in the sky darting close to visit me
then swooping left to disappear against the sun
and leave me musing in my tiny boat as I discover
I am whole and healed of spirit, and can go on.
ljm

The flames of change
consumed my past

Left no time to think
about what was last

No time to plant a life
Not while the clouds so raced

I said hello and goodbye
to all I faced

Like the tumble **** strong

Blown across Texas plains
I tumbled for oh so long

Remaining untamed

Now there is sand underneath
Not a reason to plant my feet

I never planted roots of relief
And now there are none to seek

I need no sword
for I can pierce your armour with my tongue
wit and clever words can bring you sobbing to your knees
they have bite, feel their sting
oh yes, and they will cut you down in a heartbeat
to shred and tear at your pomposity
I need no sword

The space between.

A time to sell yourself.

A time for passing.

Sometimes I touch the right.

Too much, the wrong.

Resplendent deterioration
we live by.

With casuistic slogans
and closing doors.

D'you know disembarkment
leads to land sickness?

It does.

And who can then make
heads or tails out of
the qualms of tolerance
and his cousin, ignorance?