Windmills

No edges, no corners,
a full circle through.
Life has moved on
with me and you.

The past comes back,
in glimpses and dreams.
The questions unanswered,
the future that could have been.

The possibilities engulf me.
The undefined becomes true.
What did the other door lead to?
Where's the next bus to?

The present becomes hazy,
or I let it be.
'Coz it seems feeble in comparison
to the future that is not to be.

The windmills need to stop
mixing air from all sides.
The flow has to be streamlined
as life is meant to be.

Perfect!

As the sun rises on a new day

and the sunflowers gently turn its way

And open up their gallant faces

The perfect day starts in places

And we get up to the ring of the alarm,

and think why did the day start

We strive hard, and slog through the day

To achieve what we think could

Take us an inch closer to that condition

Which we might consider as perfection

We work thinking, 'its not the best'

We sit thinking, 'just a moment's rest'

We smile thinking, 'why should I stand tall?

When my life's not perfect to smile at all.'

As the sun dips in the placid sea bed

The sky is smothered in purple, azure and red

The combination of colours we may ache to achieve

Is laid out in front of us as the clouds act as a sieve

We lie down thinking tomorrow would be better

I'll write the report, I'll send that letter

I'll wake up an hour earlier and work a little late

I'll try and be more content with the date

And we sleep and dream of the perfect dream

And know that it will never come true

We wake up to think reality is different

Perfection can only in dreams be pursued

And as the birds leave their nest and fly in perfect formations

And the river flows its path for many generations

We smile at our desk and dismiss the thought

If a perfect day could ever be bought!

The silent cry

As the clock ticks on in a silent cry,

Seconds, hours, days and years pass by,

But this time when the sky lightens to blue

It makes history with the drop of a dew

People fall silent

Even the dogs do not bark

As the new era is born

In the light of the dark

And then there is a burst of joyous cry

As the era changes when the clock ticks by.

I think as I sit by my window side

How will this new day bring a change in the tide?

How will it change the river and its flow?

The tide as it rises, and then falls low.

If it does not, then why

such celebrations in the silence of the night?

When the needle ticks from left to right.

Man will not change

and neither will this night

That has fallen on him

and affected mankind

We would continue with our work whether black or white

And our souls will not be affected by the light

Then why such joy on the birth of a new day

If it doesn't change you or me in anyway?

It doesn't change me from a crow to a dove.

It doesn't make my heart an abode of love

Then what is the use of this new light born

If it doesn't change me and all my wrong?

It is just another day that will come and go by

As the clock ticks on in a silent cry.

Perspective

One man's garbage is another man's treasure,
We've all heard this one and decided a measure,
Some say its wisdom, some say its vision.
But I think its all a matter of perspective.

I look at a beggar and feel ashamed.
You look at him and show disdain.
I see the sea and it calms my soul.
She jumps with excitement
as the waves rise and fall.
You'd say its all about where the heart lies.
I'd say its all a matter of perspective.

I pride in every bite that I get to eat.
You think that every one should be a treat.
I watch the sun rise and it fills my heart with hope.
He waits for it to set so he can come home.
You'd argue its dreams
and everyone has their own.
But I would smile and think,
it's all a matter of perspective.

If its black, there has to be white.
If its wrong, there has to be a right.
If its a simple heart, then a very complex brain.
Looking up to see the sun, in the pouring rain.
--Its all a matter of perspective.

जीवन के रंग

कुछ लिखा, कुछ समझा, कुछ तुमसे है पूछा,
कुछ पाया, कुछ खोया, कुछ बहुत साल धोया,
कभी हंसी, कभी सोयी, कभी पूरी रात रोई,
कभी जीती, कभी हारी, कभी समझा न कोई,

क्यों है यह दीवार जो रास्ता रोके,
क्यों देती है यह नाव कभी ऐसे धोके,
कभी अपनों ने मारा पराया बनके,
कभी गैरों ने संभाला यों अपना होके।

दिखाए ये ज़िन्दगी हर रंग ऐसा,
जो हर रोज़ नया हो, ना पहले जैसा।
जो कभी हो सुनहरा, तोह कभी काली परछाई,
कभी कितनी हलकी, तोह कभी इसमें कितनी गहराई।

जो आज मुझे हसाए, वो कल रुलाता क्यों है?
जो आज करीब आये, वो कल दूर जाता क्यों है?
यह कैसे रंग है, जो में पहचान ना पाई।
इसके कई चेहरे, इसमें कितनी गहराई।

रोज़ जो एक नया रंग मेरे दिन पे चढ़ जाये।
क्या उसमें आज मेरी चुनर रंग जाये?
और अगर ये रंग कल फीका पद जाये,
तो क्यों फिर येही रंग दाग कहलाये?

रिश्तों के रंग हो,
या जीवन के रंग,
सब नहीं ढलते,
एक साथ, एक संग।
चुनना है उस रंग को,
जो साए को रंग दे।
मेरे जीवन के हर रंग का,
वो चरित्र बदल दे॥

Flip side

Lived and died
Revolted and lied
Gave and took
Firm but shook

Cursed and forgave
Killed and saved
Hid yet exposed
Treasured and Disposed

Loved and Hated
Agreed and Debated
Laughed and Cried
Frozen and Fried

A single coin
Almost flat
has two sides
as that

The sides to a man
Count as many as you can
Then how do we decide
Only one face, one side.