A published poem: Bards Annual Poetry 2019

 

I am sharing a poem (titled "The Trap of Eyelashes") that was published in the Bard's Annual Poetry Book Collection in the year 2019. This particular poem is a satire that is typically different from the themes I typically write on.  A very interesting aspect is that I had never actually seen the specific plant (Venus flytrap) in real life, as mostly I remember reading about it in my school days in biology or drawing the plant diagrams. However, one fine day before writing the poem, I did stumble upon that plant as it was for sale in one of the food sections of a department store in Stony Brook. I have to admit it was one of the most blissful moments of my life, as at first, I could not believe it was a real plant, but it indeed was (and was not that big as I used to think; it was small but must have the ability to capture its preys or insects (although I never put that to test :)).

Anyhow, here is the poem. The sarcasm in the poem is at the fakeness of the modern society (and also perhaps the cosmetic companies that do manufacture products (which then land up with the consumer) that have the ability to extend the eyelashes using specific compounds).

Here is the photo of the plant:

P.S.I understand that eyes and the eyelashes are a gem in poetries and shayaris and are extolled, however this is the only poem where I made an exception but that was subject to the context....

Two of my published poems @ Bards Annual Poetry 2015

I thought of sharing two of my poems that were already published in the Bards Annual Poetry (poetry organization in Long Island, NY) in the year 2015. The reason being that interestingly, both of them have the element of Fire in them, which seems apt given the turn of cold winter weather (which I for one dislike) going on. 

One of them is titled "The Phoenix of Longing" and the second one is titled "Fireball":

 1569514.jpg (1920×1080) 

1. In this particular poem without giving away much (which a poet should usually avoid as a poem should be subject to interpretations by the reader), I would say that the central theme is actually that of Sufism/ mysticism, and so it's actually longing of the spiritual love/ Beloved, and because the soul can never be destroyed by fire (similar to the Vedic shlok of Bhagwad Gita which says : नैनं छिन्दन्ति शस्त्राणि नैनं दहति पावकः, meaning that soul cannot be cut by weapon or destroyed by fire), it keeps on rebirthing itself or rather its longing and desires keep on taking birth again and again in an endless cycle.....

2.  In this second poem, I would say that this was written out of a deep place inside the soul when the soul feels handicapped (reference to the metaphor of being seated on a wheelchair) and is a spectator to the world (the dunya). The immense longing and pains cause the soul to turn the gaze inward from the cold world (both literally and figuratively) and realize that the true power and warmth lie beneath in the soul which can be made into any form one likes and is the only true Sun.

                    

Perspective of a scientist and a poet- a beautiful conversation from the Hindi movie (Mili)

 

Sharing a beautiful and poetic scene, I stumbled upon, that is a clip from an old Hindi movie Mili (1975). I was pleasantly surprised by the simplicity and beauty of the dialogues between the actors. The hero in the movie is engrossed in observing the stars via his telescope explaining the scientific facts and location of the stars and why they aren't visible at night. On the other hand, the heroine of the movie (Mili) seems to have a poetic and playful perspective on why the stars are not visible to the eye at night. As the conversation goes on, we can see the scientist (the hero of the movie, played by the legendary Amitabh Bacchan) smitten by the heroine's description and perspective and interestingly, the hidden poet in him is awakened and he responds to her (in a quite poetic and truly honest manner) acknowledging the limitation of science in expressing the beauty that is often a domain of poetry...

 The clip can be heard here:https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSeX40bEqD0/?igsh=cjNuZDdsaHpzOHR2

Here is the written dialogues between them (with my English translations in parenthesis):

Heroine: "bataiye to din ko ye tare kahaan jaate hain? (Tell me, where do these stars go during the day?)

Hero: "jaate kahan hai wahi rehte hain, 

aur sooraj ki tez roshni ki wajah se dikhai nahi dete." (They don't go anywhere but remain at their place, due to the bright light of the sun, they are not visible")

Heroine: "hmm. ye to gyaan vigyaan ki baatein hui" (This is like a talk of knowledge and science)

Hero: "to?" (So?)

Heroine: "apko aisa nahi lagta ye tare sharir bacche hain

vo dekhiye wahan jhund banakar aapas main khusar-pusar kar rehe hain

aur wahan akela ek taara naaraaz hokar sabko ghoor raha hai

lekin subah hote hi jaise hi headmaster sooraj ji aate hain

sab gayab ho jate hain

maidaan bilkul khali..."

(Don't you think these stars are like naughty children, look there some are gossiping quietly in a cluster of their own, and elsewhere look one lonely star is staring at everybody out of melancholy. But as soon as the day arrives, because of the Headmaster Sun, all these disperse and disappear, leaving the arena completely empty...)

Hero: "theek keh rahi ho

vigyaan ke bade shabdon mein yeh ras kahan." (You are saying true, such essence is not to be found in talks of knowledge and science)

Heroine: "nahin aap mera mazaak uda rahe hain...". (No, you are making fun of me)

Hero: "main sach keh raha hu Mili, tum bhi ek sooraj ho

aati ho to mere chhote bade dukhon ki parchaiyan bhaag jati hain

aur main tumhari roshi main apne aap ko bilkul saaf dikhai dene lagta hoon..." (I am saying the truth Mili. You are also like a Sun; when you arrive, the shadows of all of my small and big sorrows flee away, and in your light, I can see myself clear and pure.."

(sharir is an Urdu word that means naughty)

    Interestingly, I remembered that this movie had one particular song (which I used to have especially recorded in cassette and listen in my childhood) sung by Kishore Kumar, and the song was so close to my heart...The melodious song can be heard here: Badi Sooni Sooni Hai with lyrics | बडी सोनी सोनी है के बोल | Kishore Kumar | Mili | HD Song

And its beautiful lyrics are as follows:

"बड़ी सूनी सूनी है ज़िंदगी ये ज़िंदगी - (२)

मैं खुद से हूँ यहाँ अजनबी अजनबी

बड़ी...

 

कभी एक पल भी, कहीं ये उदासी

दिल मेरा भूले

कभी मुस्कुराकर दबे पाँव आकर

दुख मुझे छूले

न कर मुझसे ग़म मेरे, दिल्लगी ये दिल्लगी

बड़ी...

 

कभी मैं न सोया, कहीं मुझसे खोया

सुख मेरा ऐसे

पता नाम लिखकर, कहीं यूँही रखकर

भूले कोई कैसे

अजब दुख भरी है ये, बेबसी बेबसी

बड़ी..."

LyricsIndia: बड़ी सूनी सूनी है, ज़िंदगी ये ज़िंदगी - ba.Dii suunii suunii hai, zi.ndagii ye zi.ndagii / मिली -(Mili)

Perfectly Imperfect - a poetic scene from a Hindi movie (Hamari Adhoori kahaani)

 

A particular scene from the Hindi movie Hamari Adhoori Kahaani (2015) is quite philosophical and poetic and I thought of sharing it. Apart from the melodious soundtrack of this movie, this scene depicts the depth of the heroine (played by actress Vidya Balan) in this movie and how her poetic words instill a new insight and perspective of life in the actor. 

In the scene, the actor is able to sense the incompleteness of his perfectly maintained garden of flowers and yet is unable to decipher the secret to complete the garden. The heroine then steps in and provides him with the key to that query by revealing the absence of dried/decayed leaves that are a natural part of a natural garden. She likens this to the beauty of the moon, which is also beautiful because of the scar or blemish it has....The hero is in awe of the answer which reveals the mystery of life to him, and he understood that the presence of few dried leaves in his flawless garden add to its natural form that is beautiful when naturally expressed...

Indeed, the whole of creation itself reveals that there is no such thing as a perfection, as everything is bound by the cycle of life and death and thus, decay or scars or pain or suffering are part of life that should be embraced and expressed....and their inclusion makes a thing complete and beautiful, not its omission.....

The dialogue can be heard at this link here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DKDm2kcBFaM/?igsh=cnZlNHByNm12MHdx

I have typed the Hindi dialogues here (the link already has the English captions)

Hero: "chaalees hazaar phool hai yahaan pe, its stunning, its beautiful, par fir bhi ek kami si lagti hai,  kuch to hai jo nahi hai, tum dekh ke bata sakti ho isme kya kami hai.."

Heroine: "murjhaye huye patton ki kami hai....Jis bageeche me murjhaye hue phool na ho, kuch sukhe patte na ho, vo bageecha bageecha nahi hota..

yeh jagah bahut hi khoobsoorat hai, aur shayad isiliye dil ko choo nahi rahi.....

har khoobsoorat cheez main daag hota hai...chand main bhi daag hai to fir ye bageecha itna bedaag kyu?"

Hero: "kya baat hai, chand hi lafzon mein mere sawaal ka jawaab de diya tumne, saare experts ko maat de di"

Beautiful shayari on The Eyes....

 

I came across a poetry that was focused on the window to the soul- ankhein, or the eyes as they are called- a favorite of many poets, indeed..This particular poetry is simple yet very thoughtful and speaks volumes about the eyes...

“ik hijr ki tapish mein sulagti hui aankhein
Raahon ko chhaanti hui, takti hui aankhein

Aankhein woh jin mein aas ho, shama ki talab ho
ik aatish-e-umeed mein jalti hui aankhein

Aankhein woh jin mein dard ki shiddat bhi ayaan ho
Aankhein woh keh saken jo zubaan se na bayaan ho

Aankhon mein daastaan-e-gham-e-dil bhi nihaan ho
Aankhein woh jin ka apna sukhan, apni zubaan ho

Aankhon ka apna aasmaan, chaand sitara
Aankhon ke samandar ka nahi koi kinaara”

-Muhammad Ahmad bin Rashid

The poetry can be heard by the poet reciting it here:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSpo0YXjVMx/?igsh=MWR4azVwN2M5aDVhcw%3D%3D

 

 Also, sharing few lines which I like, that also talk of the eyes..

“Kholi Hain Zauq-e-Deed Ne Ankhain Teri Agar
Har Rehguzar Mein Naqsh-e-Kaf-e-Paye Yaar Dekh”

(If your eyes have been opened by the longing for Sight

Look for the foot prints of the Beloved in every lane)

Allama Iqbal Poetry کلام علامہ محمد اقبال: (Bang-e-Dra-050) Gulzar-e-Hast-o-Bood Na Beganawar Dekh

-Allama Iqbal

Shayaris Collections from Web-IV

Continuing the collection of close shayaris from various places:

1.

“dil mein ab soz-e-intizar nahin
sham-e-ummid bujh gai ho kya”

-Jaun Elia

 

2.

“मैं रहा उम्र भर जुदा ख़ुद से

याद मैं ख़ुद को उम्र भर आया”

-Jaun Elia

 

3.

"अए ख़ुदा जो भी मुझे पन्द-ए शकेबाई दे

उस की आंखौं को मेरे ज़ख़्म की गहराई दे"

-Ahmed Faraz

4.

“Qaid e hayat o band e gham asal me dono aik hain,
Mout se pehle admi gham se nijat pae kion.”

-Mirza Galib

5. 

 "अब न वो दिल न वो दर्द न वो दीवाने रहे

अब न वो साज न वो सुर न वो गाने रहे

साकी तू अब भी यहां किसके लिये बैठा है

अब न वो जाम न वो मय न पैमाने रहे"

-Gopaldas Neeraj

6.

"जाने किस का ज़िक्र है इस अफ़्साने में

दर्द मज़े लेता है जो दोहराने में

दिल पर दस्तक देने कौन आ निकला है

किस की आहट सुनता हूँ वीराने में

हम इस मोड़ से उठ कर अगले मोड़ चले

उन को शायद उम्र लगेगी आने में.."

-गुलज़ार

 

7. 

“मैं उस को आँसुओं से लिख रहा हूँ

कि मेरे बाद कोई पढ़ न पाए”

-Waseem Barelvi

 

 8.

“do hi karwatein hain

Aur dono taraf bechaini hai..”

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DO1MBOjEu5E/?igsh=NjBsYjU1MXM3aDRh

 

 9.

“tum nahi laga paoge andaaza meri tabahi ka

tumne dekha hi kahan hai mujhe shaam hone ke baad..”

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DO3imUyE7D4/?igsh=c21oemVmeGdsazFz

 

 10.

“अजीब मुकाम पर ठहरा है काफिला जिंदगी का,

सुकून ढूंढने चले थे और नींद ही, गवां बैठे..”

-poet source not known

 

 11.

"jodte ho humko humse ya judaa karte ho tum

dekhna hai ab hamare saath kya karte ho tum"

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSjFOJ3gWx0/?igsh=MTBwYjl2dTRqcjZucA%3D%3D

 

 12.

"kaash tu meri ankhon ka ansoo ban jaaye,

main rona chhod dun tujhe khone ke dar se"

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQR4N0IkuwM/?igsh=MW5jc3A2bWhubGM3Ng%3D%3D

 

13.

"udaas hoon par tujhse naraaz nahin

tere dil main hu magar tere paas nahin

jhooth kahun to sab kuch hai mere paas

sach kahun to tere siwa kuch bhi nahi"

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLY-oWwSC69/?igsh=MXd2dXgzeGk3aDBwNg%3D%3D

 

 14.

"घाट का खामोश पत्थर हूँ मैं,

मैंने नदी के हज़ार नख़रे देखे हैं!"

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DN-IfpTkdhM/?igsh=MWd6NjE0dnEzdm91dg%3D%3D

15.

"Ye Dagh Sa Jo Tere Seene Mein Hai Namayan

Ashiq Hai Tu Kisi Ka, Ye Dagh-e-Arzu Hai?

Mein Muztarib Zameen Par, Betaab Tu Falak Par

Tujh Ko Bhi Justujoo Hai, Mujh Ko Bhi Justujoo Hai"

-Allama Iqbal

16.

"mushqilen mujhe mitaane pe tuli hain,

duaain hain ke bachane pe tuli hain,

dil laga hai sabhi gam chupane main

ankhen hain ki batane pe tuli hain"

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMuIyp_oDQY/?igsh=MXZzb3h4bHFsYzIxMA%3D%3D

17.

"ek ajeeb sa manzar nazar aata hai

har ek ansoo samandar nazar aata hai,

kahaan rakhun main sheesha sa dil apna

har kisi ke haath mein pathar nazar aata hai"

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMPF1IsMu2R/?igsh=d3Y2bTV6ZXZubzJo

18.

"main tumhe dhoondne yaadon ki khuli raahon par,

khushk patton ki tarah roz bikhar jaata hoon"

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DMaieQ5z2Cu/?igsh=YTdvOTM5NzZ3czU1

19.

"agar insaan qabil-e-aitbaar hota to meri jaan

khuda ko kya zaroorat thi saath do farishte bhejne ki"

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPLiYElkgXt/?igsh=dW1wa21udmI1MXRi

20.

"Adhoore chand se fariyaad toh karta hoga 

Woh mujhe zyada nahi par yaad toh karta hoga

bahut masroof sahi voh din bhar lekin fir bhi

tanhai ke kuch pal mere liye barbaad to karta hoga"

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSFNa1VD-WO/?igsh=b3JwMjAwcW1pZXZl

21.

"Mushkil ka haadson ka safar kam to nahin hai

Phir dekh kahin aankh meri num to nahin hai

Yeh jis ki aahaton se meri aankh khul gayi

Yeh tera qadam ae mere humdam to nahin hai

Ek deed ka taalib hai tamanna hai wafa ki

Dil itna shikasta hai ke saalim to nahin hai

Kis par yaqeen karein hain yahi kashmakash bahut

Har dil mein wafaon ka yeh aalam to nahin hai

Kyun dil mein sukoon ka tere lamha nahin aata

Duniya ka tere dil mein abhi gham to nahin hai?

Ahmad yeh tera oj, ada us ka shukar kar

Taqdeer tere Rab ki tu raakim to nahin hai"

— Ahmed bin Rashid

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSK-X0sgVWk/?igsh=N3JxdHp4bGE1a3Q%3D

22.

"tu vaar kar mere zakham na gin

ki ab bhi mujhme kuch jaan baaki hai

purane ghaanv to bhar gaye mere

ab bhi kuch nishaan baaki hai

ek tujhko hi to haq diya maine dard dene ka,

khushi dene poora jahaan baaki hai..

ki mujhe aur muajze dikha

ki tere hone se inkaar kar du

mera tujhpe kuch imaan baaki hai...

zameen par paanv hai mere

abhi mujhe rok le

udne ke liye abhi asmaan baaki hai

aise khatm na hogi meri kahaani ki

abhi to poori dastaan baaki hai

tu vaar kar mere zakham na gin

ki ab bhi mujhme kuch jaan baaki hai"

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DNx_UCqZj62/?igsh=eGZvbW1vdWNqcHF0

23.

“ये न थी हमारी क़िस्मत कि विसाल-ए-यार होता

अगर और जीते रहते यही इंतिज़ार होता”

-Mirza Ghalib

24.

"laut aaya hu fir se apne usi qaid-e-tanhai mein

le gaya tha koi apni mehfilon ka laalach de ke"

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSjq3g9CKCK/?igsh=MXFocXJkeHYzNzFrcQ%3D%3D

25.

"Mujhe chhor tu jis se ja mila.. tujhe kya mila

Mujhe umr bhar ka khala mila ..tujhe kya mila

Tu gaya to tujhpe wafa ke dar sabhi band thay, 

mujhe maikada to khula mila .....tujhe kya mila

Aur main teri talash me duur taq tha bhaTak raha, 

Mujhe raste me khuda mila..tujhe kya mila"

-poet source not known

26.

"देर तलक कल देखा फलक तो आँखें नीली पड़ने लगी है

उसका रंग उतर आया है, 

आसमान का रंग कच्चा है

 रात को तारे गिनते-गिनते ऊँगली जल गई,

छाला पड़ गया..."

-Gulzar

 

 

Classical Piano Music- Part 2

 Sharing some more beautiful piano compositions which are so soulful:

Evgeny Grinko - Melting

Tony Ann – ICARUS (Official Visualizer)

Van Gogh - Virginio Aiello, On Piano

Beethoven - Moonlight Sonata (FULL)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ludovico Einaudi - Primavera

Ludovico Einaudi - Nuvole Bianche (Live From The Steve Jobs Theatre / 2019)

Ludovico Einaudi - Experience (Official Visualizer)

(a music especially close to my heart)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Stephan Moccio - Ow

Stephan Moccio - The Wanderer (Official Music Video)

Stephan Moccio - Le Jardin de Monsieur Monet (Visualiser)(this song has very artistic video which oscillates between a dark background (with no flowers and bare walls) and the one with beautiful flowers of a garden with colors around the piano...

My Beloved Twin Flame...(this song is absolutely magical)

Walking In The Air (arr. piano) (this particular cover song (actually an opera like song with lyrics) is so heavenly)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~