My dear friend Suhas left never to return on 26.01.2022. This is something I had written about him in 2018 — glad I did. https://abuavanti.medium.com/suhas-bagwe-pepsi-and-beyond-14884a719d7f…

Now about two months later, time to let go of the grief; words help…

two decades and more
countless journeys
this one the quietest

no restless fingers
tapping the car roof
no order to light up a smoke
no stories, no songs
no debates on
rights and wrongs
just silent towns
keeping company
to a lonely road

goodbyes said
the Indrayani then
claimed you
in its womb
waters stilled
for just a moment
then a small little whirlpool
took away
the ashes
the flowers
the incense sticks

travel well my friend
i hope
the words
of the people’s poet
find you
i hope
the river is not too cold

एक ज़माना था
अपने शहर के
चप्पे चप्पे से
वाकिफ था मैं
कोई गली
अनजान न थी
हर मोड़ अपना था

अब तो ये आलम है
अपने घर का पता भी
गूगल map के अधीन है

मैं बूढ़ा होता गया
शहर नया बनता गया
वक़्त को न
वो रोक सका
ना मैं

p.s. do pardon any spelling mistakes

कुछ दिनों से
एक अजीब
रंग छाया है
बरामदे मे

कमरे में भी
थके होठ
खामोश बाते
अंधेरो में लिपटी
उदास साँसे
और कुछ
आंसुओ की आहट

कागज़ को कलम का इंतज़ार
कलम को रौशनी का

कभी चांदनी युही
बरामदे में बैठी
हवाओ से बाते करती
अब ऊँचे मकानों
की गिरफ्त में हवा
और बादलो की
कैद में चाँद
मिल नहीं पाते

हाल ये है
मुझसे बस
दो गज़ दूर
हालाते शेहर
पूछने से
घबराता हु मै

please pardon spelling mistakes

the movies they make
history so fake
new anthems they blurt
an arm across
their heaving chests
bursting with pride
they think
the arm just helps
to stop the hate from spilling out
i counter

now delirious, they
crowd theatres
chanting louder
as the flames go higher
their naked dance
secure in number
warmed by the fire
their shadows uglier

their neon god
brain fart a day
he knows
those who believed
the pen is mightier than the sword
are now spent
their bellies bloated
with salt he has fed them
their spine long gone
they crawl at his command
bite at his beck
snarl at his call

what will we do
when all is burnt
and not even ashes remain
for the phoenix to rise