Trust

The sounds splashing over my years with a convoluted wisdom
Torn threads tied to tips of toes, memoirs woven of slippery yarns
Yellows and Greens. Oranges and Reds. Blues and Purples
Stains and freshness. Blossoms and passion. Innocence and the mood

Eerily pulsating just below my thumb, my nerve. Not steel
Of quivers, sighs and tokens. Of flimsy material. Like houses made of cards
The lick of rage caught between shards of time and minutes of never- had- been meetings
A smile caught at the corners by blocks of ice. Not reaching the eyes

Clasped fists ready to flee at the onslaught of comfort. A mirage
Naked feet, nails digging deep for mercy from the view in the window
Closed eyes warily looking for signs of belief
Lest it grows and devours purposefully. Its very nature

It’s safe for now to venture. Trust on guard, disregarded
Just twenty count of reasons in that direction. How dangerous can it be?
One. Seven. Ten. Fifteen. Better go back in. It’s not safe
It’s a game. The one rarely won

Essential consulting skills

Partner Rounds

Doghlapan

Tumne kaha

Brashtachaar kee lat hai isko,
Jebon mein noton kaa aafeem hai
Annkhon par satta ka charas
iska na kuch hua hai..na kabhee hone waala hai

Maine kaha

Iska? Kiski baat kar rahe ho tum?
Kisi bhoole bisre dost kee?
Kisi gair kee? Kisi graahak kee?
Bada door ka rishta lagta hai isse tumhara

Tumne kaha

Are tumhare desh kee baat kar raha hoon
Mailapan iska naheen dikhai deta tumhe?
Rengtee hui iskee raftaar naheen kachotti tumhe?
Isiliye to chhod gaya main isko

Maine kaha

Tum to khamakhah gambheer ho baithe
Khair chhodo, suna hai obama bada pasand hai tumhe?
In dinon aayaa hua thaa yahan
Desh ko superpower kah ke gaya hai

Tumne kaha

Haan Obama hastee hee aisee hai
Leader hai-leader.laalu sa chaarebaaz naheen
Chalo ye sab hatao, ek baat bataao
Koi acchee ladkee hai nazar mein tumhare?

Maine kaha

Suna hai amreekee ladkiya patakha hotee hain
Raat mein kaam aur din mein sotee hain?
Koi item naheen pakda tumne wahan ?
Desi ladkiyon mein kya rakha hai?

Tumne kaha

Ghoomne firne ke liye theek hain amreekee
Khaanaa to koi desee hee pakayegee
Baba ne baat chala rakhee hai
Amma to koi ameer grahalaxmee hee laayengee

Maine kaha

Soch kar ke batati hoon, par tum ye batao
Infosys kee naukree kaisi hai?
Suna hai videsh mein bhee uska khaasaa bolbaalaa hai?
Desee hai par mncs ko behaal kar daalaa hai?

Tumne kaha

Sahee sunaa hai tumne, desh mein to kam izzat hai
Par u.s mein kaafee guroor waalee baat hai
Greenfield ke maze hain bhaiya
Desi salary aur visdeshi bonus donon haath hain

Maine kaha

Accha main chalti hoon,
Desi aatmiyata pak rahee hogi ghar mein, kha ke jaana
Amreeka mein tumhara green card bakayaa hai
Par desh ne to tumhe ab bhee apnaaya hai..

Brashtachaar hataaana zarooree hai
Par desh ko gair banana kaun see majbooree hai?
Obama to gandheevaad ke kisse suna gayaa
Par tumne to poore desh ko hee laat maar diya

Desi biwi aur desi naukri pasand hai
Par yahan kee raftaar se anbani hai?
Kabhee socha hai tumhari shaksiyat kya hai?
Desh ke bina tumharee haisiyat kya hai?

Dost ho! Socha tha kuch boloon naheen,
Par kya karoon desh se doghlapan kaise sahoon?

clockwork

Thought, knew it all.
The verses, the colors, and the stories.
A day, long gone. Perhaps, a September.
Thoughts were left to pickle,
In a tightly shut jar

Yesterday smelled a whiff. Pungent.
Not what I thought was brewing,
Like finding stale broth in a freshly heated oven.
Looked away. Other senses reigned havoc.
Yet again. Clockwork. The turn of events.

Silks.Flowers.Scarves.Wine.
Oysters, the pearl left behind,
Floating away, keeping the mirage alive.
Drank from it. It pretended to quench thirst.
Believed. Tick-tock. The turn of events.


Untitled again

In slumber am awake, thinking these thoughts
Dreaming those dreams, packed away for future use..
Am crawling out of me, touching the peripheries
Of the impossibles, of the could have beens

Rubbing my eyes, I let the morning creep under my skin
The dew on the grass unsettles my feet
I stay and move. I share and withhold. I shut my ears and listen
A beat. A whisper.A murmur.A breath. A word

I sense sensuousness devoid of sensibilities
I wander to that place I have seldom been
I wait for the dawn and the dusk
I shrug the sun away

I touch. And again
It has been. And never been
I hear a retort. My worldly self
Its here. And am awake

Untitled

Angeethee thandi padi hai
Bahot dinon se kuch paka nahin hai
Joothe bartanon par dhool chipak gayi hai
Darwaza bahot dinon baad khula hai

Padosi khidkiyon se taakne lage hain
Kuch uth kar ghar tak bhee aayein hai
Gali ke bacche gilli chhod idhar daud aayein hain
Is makan mein bhoot rahte hain, aisa suna tha

Khidki ke pat akad gaye hain
Lohe ke chhad abhi bhee tainaat hain
Pair patakti, oonghti hawa kamre mein fail gayi hai
Manjhi see roshni dhumil se farsh par chan rahi hai

Kursi tirchi, toote sirhaane ke saath khadi hai
Ek adhkhuli kitab mez se giri pad rahi hai
Aisa maloom padta hai jaise koi jaldi mein tha
Shayad achanak hee bahar jaane kaa bulaawaa aa gaya tha

Sab kuch thama sa lag raha hai