Amidst the morning mist...

Amidst the morning mist of the swift returning tide
I set out on my daily run, the sunlight shining bright.

Lost within my private world apart from cares and woes
I ran along the moistened shore, the sand between my toes.

In the distance, I saw a boy, as busy as can be.
He was running, stooping, picking up, and tossing in the sea.

Just what he threw, I couldn’t tell, I looked as I drew near.
It seemed to be a rock or shell – as I approached him I could hear,

“Back you go, where you belong. You’re safe now, hurry home.
Your family’s waiting for you little starfish, rush along!”

It seemed the evening tide had washed the starfish on the shore,
And the swift receding water left a thousand there, or more.

And this self-appointed savior, was trying one-by-one
To toss them back into the sea, against the racing sun.

I saw his plight was hopeless, that most of them would die.
I called out from my private world, “Hey kid, why even try?”

“Must be at least a thousand here, strewn along the beach,
And even if you had the time, most you will never reach.

You really think it makes a difference, to waste your time this way?”
And then I paused and waited, just to hear what he would say.

He stooped and took another, and looked me in the eye.
“It makes a difference to this one sir, this starfish will not die!”

With that, he tossed the little life back where there was hope.
He stooped to save another. I could tell this was no joke.

Those few words that he spoke to me cut like a surgeon’s knife.
Where I saw only numbers, he saw only life.

He didn’t see the multitude of starfish on the sand.
He only saw the little life he held there in his hands.

He didn’t stop to argue, to prove that he was right.
He just kept tossing starfish in the sea with all his might.

So I, too stooped, and I picked up, and I tossed into the sea,
And I thought, oh, what a difference that this one soul made in me.

-----Randy Poole

who has died?

i cannot see
i cannot hear
i cannot even touch or feel.
i am no more,
but i know what is going on...

they carry me,
on their shoulders,
like rusted pillars,
the dead mass.
only a liability...

the unconcerned band,
moves on.
already having forgotten who they mourn for...

we have turned into a herd,
forgetting that we initially,
are humans...

i have pictured my journey
in those days
of mine,
when flowers lose thier hue
and birds sing no more...

when the sun and the moon
have all lost interest in you,
i have experienced it surrealistically...

when my hair have turned grey
and nobody has noticed.
when the mornings haven't felt new
but only repeated
i have felt...

my last journey
a thoughtless procession
marching only because its a compulsion
and then i smile...

at the whole world,
at its impotency.
because it is the one
who has died,
and i the lone pillar
am carrying it...

आधुनिक नारी

कौन कहता है ,आज अनारी हैं औरतें;
जबकि खींच रही मर्दों की गाड़ी हैं औरतें।
गृहस्थी के बोझ से, डरते हुए मानव को,
बनकर मिसाल सिखा रही,आज की औरतें॥

कर्तव्य के निर्वाह से, मुख मोड़ते हुए मानव को,
आज नई राह दिखा रही हैं औरतें।
लहू को पसीने में बदल अपने तन के,
पुरूषों को श्रम-साध्य बना रही हैं औरतें॥

बैंक हो या दफ्तर, या कि पाठशाला,
कार्य का हर क्षेत्र, इनके लिए मधुशाला।
कहाँ लौ बखान करो, इनकी बड़ाई
प्रशासन में भूमिका, निभा रही हैं औरतें॥

नारी आज अबला नही,आंखों में ना पानी,
सार्थक है आज कि नारी कि जवानी।
पुरूषों से सताई हुई, युग - युग से नारी,
रंगमंच पे पुरूषों को नचा रही हैं औरतें॥

खेत से खलिहान तक, नारी ही नारी;
आज की नारी की , करामात है न्यारी।
चारदीवारी में कैद नही आज की नारी,
उत्पादन में नई क्रांति,ला रही हैं औरतें॥

भीरु नहीं,नारी है साक्षात दुर्गा,
शक्ति रूपिणी नारी की होती है पूजा.
मनु , दुर्गावती, चाँदबीवी , इंदिरा,
मिसाल ये बहादुरी की, आज की औरतें...



- सुरेश चंद्र गुप्ता , रूबी गुप्ता.

a woman i knew

Dark, black hair, a really small nose,a little Mongolian if you ask me,generally sweet, and of course- due to successive roll numbers- my unit test partner.
From my first acquaintance with her, i remember she asked me if i had an extra unit test sheet [we were supposed to get our own sheets].
i did.

Take care, dear friend, wherever you are.
i wish i could tell u, i still have an extra unit test sheet, and still, as willingly as i did then, will give it to you.

silence pervades

silence pervades
into the darkness it is swallowed
the blurry darkness
isn't nightfall
it is the abscence of fire
from within.
the sun is melancholy
having fallen prey to its own
demons.
i try to peirce darkness
somewhere around the void
a glimmer of hope
sensitizing my eyes
not blinding them
i try to reach out
and feel it
only to be
brought back to life.
darkness
my sedated soul
self immolation is
the only way out
sting me with fire
i say
and bring me excruciating peace
i'l burn in heaven,
i know.
The conspiracy
i realise
the inevitable
my passive demise .

asamanjas

'रिश्ते - नाते झूठे हैं, बात का झमेला है;
जाने मेरी किस्मत ने ,क्या-क्या खेल खेला है...
कल भी दिल अकेला था,आज भी अकेला है.....'

ज़िन्दगी में कई बार ऐसे दोराहे आते हैं जहाँ एक ही रास्ता चुनना पड़ता है.इस असमंजस की स्थिती से स्वयं को उबार लेना अपने आप में एक उपलब्धि है.कई दफा तो यह तक समझ नही आता,की आख़िर क्या सही है और क्या नही....ऐसे में अपनी प्राथमिकताओं की पूर्ति के ध्यान के चक्कर में हम अक्सर उन छोटी-छोटी बातों को अनदेखा कर जाते हैं,जिनका हमारी निजी जिंदगी पर गहरा असर पड़ता है।
कहते हैं कि जब तक इंसान चोट ना खाए,उसे दर्द का एहसास नही होता....बीते हुए कई लम्हे यूँ ही बार-बार ख्यालों में आकर एक टीस-सी दे जाते हैं.जहाँ कई लोग बीती बातों को भुला कर आगे बढ़ जाते हैं,वहीं कुछ ऐसे भी होते हैं जो चाहकर भी अपने अतीत से अपना दामन नही छुड़ा पाते.कभी-कभार जब आज कष्ट दे और आने वाला कल धुंधला जान पड़े,तो यही यादें सहारा देती हैं....भले ही इन यादों का सुख क्षणिक क्यूँ न हो,ये कितना कुछ बदल जाती हैं......!!