स्याही

1.

मैं पूछूँ खुद से -

जिंदगी में अब क्या करूँ? 

चढ़ तो गया हूँ ऊपर बहुत,

इस अहम के नशे से और क्या लूँ ? 

2. 

आता कोई जवाब, उससे पहले 

चेहरे पे एक मुस्कान आ गयी,

विचार की जगह,

हाथ में कलम दे गयी ...

3. 

कभी सत्ता, कभी शौहरत,

और कभी अपनों से खेलने में कसर न है मैंने छोड़ी,

अब घर बैठ, कलम घिस,

परिवार में रहने का मन है बस यूँ ही ... 

 4.

थोडा आलस है, थोडा डर भी,

थोड़ी परेशानियां, थोड़े बहाने,

कुछ छोड़ना है, कुछ पकड़ना,

कुछ कम करना है, कुछ ज्यादा ...

5. 

इस नाप-तोल को तो है चलते रहना,

क्यूंकि परेशानी चाहे जितनी हो बड़ी,

है तो जन्मी वो मुझसे ही,

मुझसे बड़ी तो वो हो नहीं सकती ...

6.

क्या तू पूछता और क्या है कहता,

बना इस अहम के धुंए का शीशा,

अपने फैलाव को समेट,

और शीशे कि स्याही बन रचता जा ...

कथा

तू पूछे -

और अब क्या बचा है?

लगता सब कुछ झोंक दिया है,

पर नये किरदार और मोड ये क्या हैं?

अभी कितना और चलना है?

 

ऐ बालक -

यह बड़ी बेहुदा व्यथा है,

पर इसी में जीवन छुपा है,

जब ये सवाल आता है,

तो समझ कुछ अभी भी बचा है।

 

तेरी मोह और आदतों के घेरों में,

अंधेरे कोनों में,

थोड़ा डर अभी भी पनप रहा है,

तेरा जीवन ही तो कथा है,

अब इसे भी झोंकना है। 

That Match-Winning Feeling!

It's a burst. Sometimes a sprinkle, sometimes a blast. The intensity may vary - but it inevitably comes as a splash of naughty excitement and release of a lot of feel good hormones. The hormones that tell me to let go and permit myself to do something crazy - something forbidden.

It's that sense of victory. Like the podium finish that makes one eligible for a bucket filled tumbler of chocolate ice-cream. 

To an untrained and unprepared mind this feeling may be difficult to handle. A difficulty similar to one faced by a rookie bar-owner handling a victor football team fresh after their win. The indebted bar-owner faces brawling musclemen loaded with rebelliousness. If he doesn't handle them well - he will soon have a ruckus of fist fights and a broken property. But, if he handles their excitement and heightened energy levels well, it's good for business. 
He has to channelize the team members' rebellious spirits. Giving them a sense of reward can help them feel acknowledged and appreciated. A round of on-the-house beers can easily do the trick. While the blood alcohol levels rise, he can subtly nudge the sportsmen to relax. He can then hope that their violence will pacify as they enter the space of energetic relaxation. As simple an idea as exclusive access to TV can do the trick. When energies relax, a person naturally tilts towards accepting his desire of a good night's sleep. This good night's sleep is what every one is really looking for. Sleep is the taste of death in the otherwise super intense activity filled life. Life with many roles and roleplays. 

I am often the cash-strapped bar owner timidly handling a high which makes my mind behave like those drunk sportsmen. This high, which may be artificially or meditatively induced, needs aware handling. I need to acknowledge and pat my hormonally-loaded sportsmen on their metaphoric backs while handling them a few beers, all the while, nudging them to sleep. Because it's  a good night's sleep that they really crave for. 
After all, our football stars understand that they have just won the local county match - it is the FIFA world cup that they are aiming for. They can't lose their balance with small wins... 

The Click and the Flip

Tyres of Mind and Body,
Running fast,
On this runway of life…

 

Rotating Duality of Life,

Karma burning,

At Cosmic speeds…

 

A moment has come,

Click! This is the moment to Flip.

Let go of the run,

Let the Flying begin.

Gracefully pull up the karmic load,

Consistently dissolve the self...