Unbroken

After all is done and the banks paid
And all the loans to rest are laid
You and I across the table
Recall the moments in price we paid

The Sunday spent working alone
Unbought the dress with shining stones
Holidays taken nowhere together
Gaping at empty neighbours houses

The car that went for a longer ride
The one that the mechanics deride
The house, tuition and pension
the three horsemen of hypertension

Skirted danger tempted fate more
Insurance got despite a horrible score
Age brings all factors to the fore
It's just a numbing, lifelong chore

It's put our lives to paid we know
We'd aimed for a better life to show
those that never cared for us
But I, would have chosen death to life

A few moments alive to long days of strife
It's too late now for us you see,
We're unbroken but bent, dear wife.

21/07/2013

All She Said

Edit

ALL SHE SAID

12 June 2012 at 12:57

PublicFriendsFriends except acquaintancesOnly meCustomClose FriendsK.C. CollegeSee all lists...SKNLMumbai, Maharashtra, India AreaSt. Elias High SchoolSKNLMBA9092Limited ProfileSt. Elias High School, MumbaiUniversity of MumbaiAligarh Muslim UniversitySt. Elias High School, MumbaiFamilyAcquaintancesGo Back

She takes my hand

In hers and plays

With my fingers

Bending, twisting

caressing slowly

Gazing intently at them

A single lock of hair

falls over her bowed head

A controlled admission

Of her feelings

Lies in her upward glance

To me

Now her other hand

Moves up to my head

And her eyes follow

Resting on my hair

The hand and eyes examine

With great interest

I sit still

eyes on her face

On her eyes that still

Do not meet mine

I see lids heavy with

Desire and love

Try to read them

And fail miserably

Not a word is said

In this unhurried time

And the phones ring

Mine and hers together

We pick them up

I see the number

and disconnect mine

She starts talking

I watch the words

As they form on those lips

Pursing, parting, expanding

The brows dance and

smiles play in her eyes

Now animated now still

Her hands play with her hair

I just keep looking

Taking it all in

Such a view

The curve of her back

Seam of her dress

The band in her hair

The studs in her ears

The stars in her eyes

The sun in her smile

I do not blink

Just stare like a fool

Call done she turns to me

Again quiet

But looks up to me

In my eyes

The very eyes

that have waited for long

To gaze into hers

Her hands come up again

This time to cup my face

Her lower lip quavers slightly

Suddenly I ask who it was

On the phone

A friend was all she said

Like

Vaaston hawaalon

Vaaston, havaalon mein nahin aane wala
Andekha ansuna hota hai jiska bulaane wala

Jab tak saansein chalti hain khel hi hota hai
Laut'ta nahin isiliye jahan se jaane wala

Vaada karne se pehle tum phir soch lo
Us din main wahan se akela nahin aane wala

Pur asar sadaa e taleem mein ajzaa e be asar
Maktab tak aata bhi hai andar nahin jaane wala



April 9free

Pompey Pompeii

I will play Pompeii and tell you just this much...

Gods don't favour labours of the common home
Nor Campainian upstarts against regal Rome

You can ask the aristocrats of our time
Syllas, Julians, Pius's stand and mime

Stories that Nola and Capua always knew
Which in time and telling grew

Short life everlasting tragic fame
Is the lot of the Pompeii name

One day my last happy heart was broken
And then Vesuvius for a task awoken.

Quateel Ahmad
May 4, 2013

Na baaz aaye hum

Hai girebaan chaak nasheman jala aaye hum
ab tak aise naaseh se kyun na baaz aaye hum

Is dayaar mein apni bhi kuch izzat numa si thi
Maamooli se ik mehfil thi aur lutaa aaye hum

Wo bhool na jaaye humein koi saaneha to ho
Mehfil rang pe aayi to usey chhod aaye hum

Khushfehmiyon se apne puraane rusooq hain
Jo phool le gaye to zakhm le kar aaye hum

Quateel Ahmad
May 2, 2013 Mumbai

Teri judai ka mujhko gila nahin...

Teri judaai ka mujhe koi gilaa nahin
Ye gham kisi aur ko to milaa nahin

Mere bharose ko khoob todte rahe
Main us se oob gaya tha hila nahin

Sare kaam baa tarteeb ba asool hon
Ab tak aisa mauka mujhe mila nahin

Saanvle log rang nahin badal paate
Ye raaz mujh par abhi khula nahin

Tera ishq bada kamzarf hai 'Quateel'
Marta hai marne de ise jilaa nahin

Quateel Ahmad
1 April 2013

Drought

In the unpromising unforgiving sky 
puffs of distant high vapours
at once native and alien like
inspectors of worth and value
that breeze out without remark

far below these hopeless shrouds
are human heads, covered and bare
but no gaze rises with expectation
seeking the dark laden armada 

the merciless sun shines, making it impossible to hide
heads bowed, held in hands plainly
gaze firmly fixed on the earth
blaming it for being so stupid
to need rain, to need clouds
those vagabonds of no fixed address
of no fidelity or virtue

the labours of the blamers
done in by truant beneficience
the canals that were dug
with hope aided by science 
now serve only to flood homes
with furrowed brows and plain despair

in this land hope lies fallow and like a signal of the end 
from the eye to the cheek
the only descent of moisture bends



First posted Jan 2011

My Monsoon

And the night begets more rain
rays of stark dark water
The shoots of life
Descending
With little gusto
To meet muddy ends
Sinking hope of life in earth again

Patter prevails
Ennui ensues
And obliterates
Something of the
Lighter notes
of my being
The fetid smell of me
tired beyond a freshing recourse

But shortly I am refreshed
Its the same patter that revives
And fills the heart with happiness
And now I think
You can take all the sunsets by the shore
Valleys like of Paradise itself
Rolling meadows and dales
Snowcapped mountains and all
That is deemed most beautiful

And yet cannot for me match
the sounds and smell of the monsoon
When it finally arrives
bearing down on my doors and windows
Forcing itself in every crevice it can find
To water my soul and nourish my mind

Quateel Ahmad

Kya nahin rehta

Saadabayaani mein uski kya kya nahin rehta
Maani hai ek waazeh to dujaa nahin rehta

Main uske chhall ka zikr karun to phir kahaan
Miley wo ghar jaa bhakt uska nahin rehta

Khaamiyaan hain mujhmein bhi par ye nahin
Jidhar ka pata diya hai wahaan nahin rehta

kin farebon ke supurd kiya gham e hayaat ne
Ujaala nahin hota ke andhera nahin rehta

Chup gaya dekar mujhko zindagi ki kitaab wo
Lafz aisa nahin jisme pata uska nahin rehta

Quateel Ahmad
March 14, 2013

Kuch ye duniya bhi jee behlaane lagi hai

Kuch ye duniya bhi jee behalaane lagi hai
Aur tu bhi kuch kam yaad aane lagi hai

turbat per meri aakar na mujhko sataana
Ba mushkil kahin to neend aane lagi hai

Besaakhta ab tu kyun kuch nahin kehti
Apni kis baat ko mujhse chupaane lagi hai

Neend se utha deta hai ek dard aksar
Aur chot pataa nahin kahaan lagi hai

Aiteraaz tujhe hai is ghar ke raqbe se
Saaro umr mujhe ise banaane mein lagi hai

Quateel Ahmad
March 2013

Sher

Fark sirf tareekhon ka reh gaya akhbaaron mein
Chalon yaaron, surkhion ka bhi kuch kiya jaaye.

WO LADKI

Wo Ladki
Mushkilon se usay muskurata dekha
Taaron ko din mein jagmagata dekha
Sweater ko kirnon mein nahata dekha
Kirnon se chehra bhi jhilmilaata dekha

Gehri aankhein hain gehre raaz liye
Zulfein apne mein sau andaaz liye
Chehra bhi hai suraj ka aizaz liye
Lab surkh mizaaj e shiraaz liye

Usne yaadon mein dil phansaa rakha tha
Muskuraahaton ko door bhagaa rakha tha
Itni masroof nahin jitna bataa rakha tha
Lekin maine bhi ek deep jalaa rakha tha
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Ye kya rishta hai jise humne banaa rakha hai
Sawaal kyun apne beech ek khadaa rakha hai

Yehi sawaal raaton ko jagaa rakhega
Ye aksar humein khudse khafa rakhega

Mere peeche uske aage hai zindagi badi aisi
Kya mere peeche hatne ki aa gayi ghadi aisi

Socha ki na de paaunga usko sab kuch
Haq mera banta hi nahin phir ab kuch
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Koi pehle koi der se jeevan mein aata kyun hai
dopahar ko dil naya chand dikhaata kyun hai
baat ghalat hai to dil mujhe manata kyun hai
Zindagi ne khilona humein banaya kyun hai

Zimmedari aasan nahin hai is dil ki
Ek asmaan hadd nahin hai is dil ki
Bikharne ki zidd nayee hai is dil ki
main na sunoon ab koi baat is dil ki

Quateel Ahmad
23 Jan 2013

Fone per baat karta hai rabt se malaal, achcha hai
Wo mujhse door gar, rahta hai khush haal achcha hai

Jiske goshon mein naummeedi ki fasal hi lehlahaaye
Us khet mein building banane ka khayal achcha hai

Bahot sharaab pilayi hai aaj mujhe raqeebon ne
Doobe may-e-hasad mein khumar-e-visaal achcha hai

Na mujhse Urdu bol, wa mun Turkie nami danum
Jo do zubaan rakhta ho aaj usika haal achcha hai

Quateel Ab ek hi shakhs ko shiddat se dhoondiye
Wo brahman jisne kaha tha ye saal achcha hai

Kya martaba badha liya apna?

Kya martaba badha liya apna?
Kya mujhe bana liya apna?

Ab aati nahin mujhse buu koi
ya badal liya tuney libas apna

use aksar ruk ke dekhte hain
kiraaye pe utha hai makan apna

paison ka kuch asar hua hoga
aisa munh tha kahaan apna

apne mein mukammal hoon
Khud se dil hai badguman apna

Guns and People

Guns don't kill people
Its people that kill people
People with guns that is
So keep people away from guns
Or people away from people

The people who are away from people
Are ones that go closer to the guns
Its the those with the guns
That kill the people

The sickness is in being away from people
The sickness is in being close to guns
When its people who make people
Why is it people who make guns
People who make guns
Kill people
They are the enemy
Of those who make people

People have life
Guns have death
People with guns
Use life to bring death

Quateel Ahmad
16 December 2012

after the Sandy Hills elementary school where a 20 yr old man killed more than twenty 4-6 yr old schoolchildren. This poem is an exception to my not writing on current topics.

Horrible Poetry

I had a real friend who later turned imaginary
A chap with disposition rather dromedary

Cheesed off with my tongue rather blunt
He felt he needed to pull this tasteless stunt

Restrict friends and hide oneself away
On facebook's easily possible today

But the question that deigns to be asked
Why was this subterfuge so blithey tasked

Ah! I see that we share some groups
My comments critiques taken to be rebukes

My corrections I didn't know were unwelcome
Now straight talk I have totally dumped

All I now offer is applause and appreciation
Be it a verse trite or banal pontification

And if I don't understand something
I just keep quiet. Its okay not knowing

And when the pompous fools jabber about
With fucked-up language and blow their spout

I just ignore this in the interest of peace
Don't throw me out of this group o please

I have pissed many people off I know
Only because those who should say no
Have led the deluded into believing
Their words have weight of thoughts in sieving

But it keeps me up at nights this pandering deceit
Language curses me for letting plant the seed

'What for I am' seething blindingly this way
There's no grammar discipline or metered array

Why is it that those who should know better
base the praise on the topic not verse or letter

If form is not important and topic adequate
Why not just write it down and exclaimate

This is no poem but a warning call
Let's see by morning who's first to bawl

Quateel Ahmad
Dec 2012

Kya zaroori hai

Tujhse mohabbat is dil ki majboori hai.
Kya yeh adaa e berukhi zaroori hai

Chaand aur sooraj bhi ek ho jaate hain
Dilon ka garhan lagna kya zaroori hai

Har maikade mein tu dikhaayi deta hai
Hosh khone ko uska hona zaroori hai

Hausle ko mere farogh dete hain
Mera girna jinke liye zaroori hai

Mausam e gul mein sirf kaliyaan hain
Is soorat e haal mein dakhal zaroori hai

Dast-bardaar na ho itni jaldi mein
Bojh ki nazaakat samajhna zaroori hai

Quateel Ahmad
12 November 2012

Ashiaane mein sajaaya kya kya

Ashiaane mein sajaaya kya kya
khwaab dekhe to sazaa kya kya

Ek chhoti is humne baat kahi
Matlab dekho nikaalein kya kya

Hum hi hai jo khayaal rakhte hain
Waise keh jaate hain log kya kya

Bada saada sa khat likhkha aur
Ki namabar ko nasihat kya kya

Achcha hota jo tum bhi pee lete
Lutf nashe ke bataain kya kya

Sab hi yahan meherbaan apne
Guman ye dekho sikhaaye kya kya

Ek moorat teri banaane ko
Mitti mein milaaun kya kya

Laute bhi us gali se 'Quateel'
Jaley kya aur bujhaaye kya kya

Quateel Ahmad
26 October 2012

I Am Black

There is a leitmotif
Of arrogance and ignorance
In your honest friendly nature
You want to erase all sense
Of impropriety and savage conduct
by giving me new appellations

I used to be known as a negro
Or Black
or colored even
for those who wanted to
Capture the varying shades
Of my beautiful existence

But they made it hell
Picked on, slaved, beaten
Raped, murdered and sold
all because they could.
All this while they were saving my soul
With their own god and ways

I didn't mind
I came to this big country
Which I first landed on
with fettered feet
But when I sang
God listened
When I walked
Breeze was born
And when I ran
Deer looked at me with awe
I was a specimen like no other
In chains when no one else was
I was black and that was that

That was a long time ago
And today I am as much a part
Of this land as any other
The bones of my great ancestors
Is in this earth
Rivers here I have bathed in
Fields tilled and fish caught
animals reared and slaughtered
Married and children begot

Then some kind souls want to
Wash away old sins of others
Make me want to forget the torments
Linked with my black negro being
Decide to call me African American

I am at once proud of my proud lineage
My people, Africa and a smile
Till I think about it.

Is my being American
not halved by being called thus
Is this any way to address people
Most who have never been to Africa

Chinese Amercian, Asian American,
Japanese American, Indian, Pakistani,
What lies behind these names?
Are citizens of Indian, Pakistani and Latino
race not American?
Why is a person Chinese American yet another African American? Does it matter if Chinese are confused with Korean American, Hmong and Vietnamese or Filipino...

But more than anything else
Why don't we have Irish Americans,
Italian Americans, German Americans,
French Americans, Polish Americans
Czech Americans and of course English Americans

They are all simply described as white
Or even more simply as Americans.

So I would rather be called a black American.
Or just an American
I am from here and nowhere else
I am not going to be caught up in platitudes
created by weak or evil minds

So I have decided that I will write my name
And my colour is for all to see
Don't nigger me for I am Black
And the world is happily black brown yellow red and white
And all shades in between.

As good as it gets

We only have ourselves to blame
Our pleasant togetherness
was that drifted us apart,
We had what was good,
but needed more,

Harboured incredulous notions
of love passion fed
by movies by books,
By words of twisted poets heavenly sublime
I wanted us to be better
You wanted us to be perfect
Neither seeing what we were, are
hunger for a greater love
became its very poison

Today passing through the shadows
Of fleeting relationships
Of veneers of attachments and likes
Of lusts and pitys
Realise far from each other
That thing we had
Was as good as it gets

Feb 7, 2011