morning walk — aise kyu

its smoggy
its hot
dust in the air
CO2 trumping the O2
the sky bathed
in a color bleak
it’s like stepping
onto the streets of
Mordor

I walk slower
than usual
chasing a rhythm
which remains elusive
today

and then
Rekha turns up
giving voice
to Raj’s words
the first para
sets the stage
the second
a heartbreaker
the third carries
on the conversation

words he wrote
which I thought
were copyrighted
by the great Gulzar
nice to see a poet emerge
willing to engage
in the sublime

I walk home
smile on my
soot assaulted face
its quiet
not a soul has stirred

Zizou seems to wander
in some Gulmohar laden
land
that Raj conjures
she is smiling
she is dreaming

I let her be…

inspired by these beautiful lines from a brilliantly composed and magnificently sung song — Aise Kyu

ऐसे क्यूँ उसके होठों पे
अच्छा लगता है मेरा नाम
ऐसे क्यूँ कुछ भी बोले वो
मन में घुलता है ज़ाफ़रान
गिरता है गुलमोहर
ख्वाबों में रात भर
ऐसे खव्बों से बहार निकलना
ज़रूरी है क्या