Aasiir (आसीर)

Ansuni Daastan (अनसुनी दास्ताँ)

Darbadar dhoond raha
apne hi aks ko andhere may,

thokar kha kay gira, 
ojhal hui duniya, sanvrit hain nigahein,

Saar toota. bheege nain, 
asahya dard saha na jaye,

nazar hui jab anirnit
bodh na kahin dikhe,

Magar hriday kay in chidron se 
divya aalok, mere abbhyantar samaye,

aur dil per ek nitya ansuni dastaan
likh gayi yeh dararein.

दरबदर ढूँढ रहा 
अपने ही अक्स को अंधेरे मे,

ठोकर खा के गिरा 
ओझल हुई दुनिया, संवृत हैं निगाहें,

सार टूटा, भीगे नैन
असह्य दर्द सहा न जाये,

नज़र हुई जब अनिर्णित 
बोध न कहीं दिखे,

मगर ह्रदय के इन छिद्रों से 
दिव्य आलोक मेरे अभ्यंतर मे समाये,

और दिल पर एक नित्य अनसुनी दास्ताँ 
लिख गयी यह दरारें।

Nash Hai Rooh (नाश है रूह)

Maula ab na hota sabar
duniya se hua bekhabar

Kisi se na Koi Aas
Tujh se bhi utha vishwas

Maey-e-kaif Mein Magan
neeche dharti upar Gagan

Jism to bas ek taabuut
jab naash hai yeh rooh


मौला अब न होता सबर 
दुनिया से हुआ बेखबर 

किसी से न कोई आस 
तुझ से भी उठा विश्वास 

मेय-ए-कैफ में मगन 
नीचे धरती ऊपर गगन 

जिस्म तो बस एक ताबूत 
जब नाश है यह रूह

Meanings:
Maey-e-kaif: Intoxication of Wine;
taabuut: Coffin
naash: Corpse

Madhushala (मधुशाला)

Alfazon mei nahi itna dum
Ki bayaan kar payein kitna tumhe chahte hain hum

Jaise Meghon kay baraste paani
Ne sirf dharti ki raah jaani

Aur meelon ka faasla chal har sagar ki lehar
Chume bas samudra tat kay paer

Yaaraa-e-ulfat bas tu mehsoos kar
Saaki tere nashe mein  madhushala say guzre meri har dagar

अल्फाजों में नहीं इतना दम

की बयाँ कर पाएं  कितना तुम्हे चाहते हैं हम 

जैसे मेघों के बरसते पानी 

ने सिर्फ धरती की राह जानी 

और मीलों का फासला चल हर सागर की लहर 

चूमे बस समुद्र तट के पैर 

यारा-ऐ-उल्फत बस तू महसूस कर 

साकी तेरे नशे में मधुशाला से गुज़रे मेरी हर डगर 

Har Lamha (हर लम्हा)

Baatein hain Hazaar
badte kadam ruk jayein har baar

Ghul rahi hai saason mein saansein
phir bhi hamare darmiyaan kaynaaton kay faasle

Nam aakhein karein bayaan is dil ki daastan
dhundein teri aakhon mein yeh apna jahaan

Tujhe shayad lage har pal ek bhula sa sapna
jee raha main tere pyaar ki haqeeqat mein har lamha

Teri khushboo say mehak rahi fiza
tu mujhme shashvtataa tak hai basi - meri hai yahi saza

बातें हैं हज़ार
बड़ते कदम रुक जायें हर बार

घुल रही है साँसों में सांसें
फिर भी हमारे दरमियान काय्नातों के फासले

नम आखें करें बयान इस दिल की दास्ताँ
ढूँढें तेरी आखों में यह अपना जहाँ

तुझे शायाद लगे हर पल एक भुला सा सपना
जी रहा मैं तेरे प्यार की हकीकत में हर लम्हा

तेरी खुशबु से महक रही फिज़ा
तू मुझमे शाश्वतता तक है बसी - मेरी है यही सज़ा

Ibtisaam dekhe Khaalq (The World sees a Smile)

Mar bhi jaon aaj agar
aab-e-chasm na bahana

Aagaaz-e-ulfat ne hi mujhe tha mara
teri hi aas mein parastaar jee raha

Ek bhooli si hikaayat ban gaya 
khalvat mein sabke kirdar raha nibha

Mar mar ke jeene ki yaaraa nahi mujh mein
le rahi nafs udhaar ki kuch nafasein 

Sooz-e-nihaan na aaye kabhi nazar
vaada kiya hai tujhse, aatish - e - dozakh mein bhi ibtisaam dekhe khaalq

Meanings
(aab-e-chasm - tears);  (aagaaz-e-ulfat - begining of love); (parastaar - lover/devotee); (hikaayat - story); (khalvat - solitude); (yaaraa - strength);  (nafasein - breaths); (nafs - soul);(sooz-e-nihaan - inner sorrow); (aatish-e-dozakh - Fires of hell); (ibtisaam - smile); (kaalq - world)

A day in the Life of a Clown

The children were laughing and giggling and the clown with his colourful attire, red nose, white cheeks and long versicoloured locks sneaking out of his cap, was up to his antics. All he was seeing was the children and all he could hear was their laughter. The children were his inspiration. Making them laugh brought happiness to him. More than the children needing him, he needed them.

After the party was over Jake went back home and sat down in front of the mirror to take off his make up. The smile on his face replaced by gloominess. A sudden rush of emotions flooded him and he started crying for no perceivable reason. The tears rolling down his cheeks; his face contorted. The makeup on his face was smudged by his hands which, as if having a life of their own, had gone to wipe the tears away. A guttural and almost broken cry escaping his throat. The irony of a clown crying - the saddest oxymoron.

Jake barely made it to the table next to his bed. He took the anti-depressant pills. His head was spinning and he was reaching for the Glock he kept in the dresser. Then he saw the photograph on the top of the dresser - the smiling face of Betty and Ashley. It had been over five years since they were killed during a break-in at the Convenience Store where Betty worked. Jake could never forget that evening. It was Ashley's eighth birthday and he had a surprise planned for her back home with all the clowns from his troupe putting on a show for her. Jake and Ashley were sitting in the car waiting to pick up Betty; Ashley got out of the car and sauntered into the store to get her mother out quickly. Jake started to put on his clown nose to surprise Ashley and while he was putting it on, unnoticed by him two drunk teenagers got into the store. They panicked while taking the money and shot both Betty and Ashley. On hearing the shots Jake ran into the store - but by the time help arrived it was too late.

In a few minutes his head stopped spinning, his breathing was relaxed and his heart was not racing any more  He fell off to sleep on the floor next to the dresser with the Glock in his hand and his smudged make up still on.

Beep Beep Beep Beep Beep Beep. The alarm went off at 7 am in the morning. Jake woke up with a startle and rushed to get ready. He had a show at 10 am and he had just an hour to beat the traffic.