We are still beautiful

We are still beautiful
Yes our bodies bear the brunt of unkind times
And raiment torn and tattered
But our words shaped with beauty still
No lack of cursive form or embellishments
Our lips kiss poisoned seasons 
Faces are smoked and withered
Under flames of countless vigils
Our sundered dreams 
On earths of invisible islands
Lie in disarray
Like the wreckage of ships
Played with by merciless storms
And thrown onto shores in pieces
Were that blood raining 
Or desires of self destruction
In the journey of torment
What season did not come
And what season did not bring
Tears to our eyes
Solemnity to our tone
Yet not dirge escaped our lips
Never were we mournful 
Our hearts are like the 
Unworried smiles of children
We are still beautiful
Its been ages since we left
Those beloved lanes behind 
But still
Many known un known fellows
And the humane captors of their dreams
And the ledgers of the migration of their loves
Come to us from faraway lands
When the sun of rose tinted afternoons
Steps onto green velvet just emerging
And scares life into frozen beings
And in bodies long frozen
Rivulets of warming blood begin to humm gently
The bird of silent sadness
Under the bough of overwhelming grief chirps up
And a grief long forgotten
Becomes a fester afresh and seeps
That is when it seems
Our words
Are the faces of voices alive
We are still beautiful
Our pleasant demeanour guides 
the countenance of the righteous
And that is why we wounded existences
Live in the memories of their yesterdays
For they recount what they endure
Our wordsmithery is yet
Lovelier than life itself
The language of poetry 
Is for those who are grieved 
And wounded of heart in love
And faces like roses in bloom
With lips like ripe luscious fruits
That with sandalwood hands 
On the footholds of Love and Devotion
Write our names
All pain that was unkown
Becomes an ally
They are partners in passion 
Yes the imprisioned ones
And when they go to the slaughter
They sing our songs 
Of them everyone is proud
Everyone that shares this tumultous journey
On our limited existences
And our wounded compositions
Now we sign our names on pacts of our elimination
Now we are the treasure of the skies 
Now we are the needs of the earth
We are still beautiful
Quateel Ahmad
27/09/2013 01:46

Hindi Short - Chunauti

"Nahin main bhi bolta hoon, jaisa aap log bol lete hain" maine kaha. Panditji hans pade. Kahe "dekho beta, hum, tohaar abba, chachcha, maamu hum sab logan gaaon ki paidavar hain, gaanv mein padhe, khet khalihaan ma javaan bhaye hain. Aur baabu tuh Bammayii ma paida bhaye ha, angreji padhat ha. Hindi to sojhay bol nahin paute, desi ka bol paihaa?" 'achchai? Chalaa humse kuchchau pooch la, kauno shabd ka matlab?' Maine chunauti de di. Diwali ka din. Puja ho chuki thi. Panditji ne apna laal munh khola aur ek aur banarsi 120 kachchi pakki kasaili usi mein daab diya. Ek nazar Abba ki taraf dekha. Abba ne ankhon se unhe ishara kiya.. Ki aaj iski class ho hi jaaye. Ab maano sab slow motion mein hone laga. Kuch kshan mujhe dekhne ke baad unhone poocha..."Achcha tab bhaiya aap ee bataava ki 'chehntaa' aur 'kehntaa' mein ka antar hai?".
Us din mujhe pataa chala ki na zameen phat ti hai na koi dhansta hai. Use wahin khade reh kar sab sehna padta hai.

Jo Kho Gaya Usey Bhool Ja

Jo kho gaya usey bhool ja
Main hoon darbadar mere saath aa
Jo mila use kabhi liya nahin
manzil per kyun ruka nahin

Koi beniyaaz koi benawaa
Yun hua ke hum ho gaye judaa
mera maan rakh kuch asar dikha
Ye na jataa ki tujhe kuch hua nahin

Mujhe jaan ke aziyaton ki sanad
Mere humkadam bhulaa nahin
Main shajar ki wo chhanni dhoop hoon
Lams jiska kabhi chubhaa nahin

Meri jaan tune li hai to
Ye karz bhi mujhper chadha nahin
Ek gumaan ki koi mere saath hai
Arsaa hua huaa nahin

Jo ho chuka use bhool ja
Main hoon darbadar mere saath aa

Ibn e Maryam hua kare koi

"Ibn e mariyam hua kare koi
Mere dukh ki dawaa kare koi"

Sar e aam kuch hota hi nahin
sab se chhupke mila kare koi

Ghamgeen kayii fasaane hain
hans ker mila kare koi

Ujalat mein hai yahi hasrat
Mere liye bhi sajaa kare koi

Diljooi ki tawakko nahin yaaron
Khoon e dil kab tak saha kare koi

Kehte hain ki main zinda hoon
Mujhsa na maraa kare koi
----------------------------------

matlaa Mirza Asadullah Khan 'Ghalib' ka hai. baaki ke ashaar mere.

Jaane de

Le le dhadkan dil se, shauq e nazar jaane de
'Pahle maazi ka koi zakhm to bhar jane de'

Doobta sooraj kehta hai har kinare se
Chhod saath mera mujhko ghar jaane de

Aaya hoon duniya mein ek khayal ban ke
Hain khushboo mere khaab bikhar jaane de 

Gaate hue ik deewana guzra galee se uski
kaise batlaaye zubaan us per asar, jaane de

Baat zubaan ki hai Quateel baat behr ki hai
Seekh bhi jaayega tu magar jaane de

Nazar pre sharm o haya ka hisaar baaki hai

'Nazar per sharm o haya ka hisaar baaki hai' 
Gulshan mein kaanton ka shumaar baaki hai

Har kaam usne kiya jo thha mushkil
Isi ka mere dil mein ghubaar baaki hai

Andheron ki hukumat hai chaar su lekin
Suna hai roshni ka ek dayaar baaki hai

Main gir chuka hoon jo apni nazron mein
Saamne duniya ke meyaar baaki hai

Chamakti hai ankh sun k taap ghode ki
Is mazdoor mein ek zamindaar baaki hai

Kya kahun main tabeeb se aur kaise
Ki meri neendon mein bukhaar baaki hai

Duniya mujhse door

Duniya mujhse door chalee jaa rahi hai
Jaate jaate mujhse khulee jaa rahi hai

Rishta to sar e aam mar gaya tha
Kyun dil mein chitaa jalee jaa rahi hai

Na likhi ho apni mulaqaat phir bhi 
Ek dastaan dekho banii jaa rahi hai

Aaj jhoothe vaade sa ise tootna hai
kamar zapt ki yun kasii jaa rahi hai

Parastish ki aagosh mein aa ke dekha
Zanjeer ibaadat ki khuli jaa rahi hai

beshaoor guzara sabhi ka ho gaya hai
Koyal raat mein bhi gaaye jaa rahi hai

Meri zindagi ke parde per ye duniya
Roz nayi film dikhaye jaa rahi hai

Why do i walk barefoot

Why do I walk barefoot
On the carpet of nettles
Of your memories?

Some escape inside
And travel upwards
Where my broken
Heart lies

They meet others
like them there from before
And join hands
To build a fence

A barbed fence that
Imprisons me
and holds me
In constricting embrace

None can enter
Nothing escape

Ilzaam

Kya mere dil ka tujhper upkaar nahin
Isko Tere siva kisi se sarokaar nahin

Dua kar mera jee laga rahe tujhmein 
Mere jaisa doosra parastaar nahin

Ye ishq hai ya ehsaan hai tu hi bataa
Sach jo bhi ho mujhe inkaar nahin

Tinkon se jo sirf ghonsla bana paaye
Mazdoor kehte hain use fankaar nahin

Jhukne waala sar ye jaanta hai
Use ghuroor ki koi darkaar nahin

Meri baat ke chauntis matlab hote hain
Iska teen nahin to uska chaar nahin

Doughnut khaate khaate ye khayal aaya
Iske markaz mein bhi sarkaar nahi

sher Mere saleeqe ki tafseer

Mere saleeqe ki tafseer chahiye usko, 
jisne barson mujhe sataaya hai.

Na milne ki ummeed na gham bichadne ka,
Is faasle ne rishta sambhaal rakkha hai

Dar o deewar hum apni sajaa rahe hain

Dar o deewar hum apni sajaa rahe hain
Wo kahin aur tasveer taangne ja rahe hain

Mehfil mein humein bula kar dekho kaise 
Raqeeb-shumari humse wo karwaa rahe hain

Un logon ka anjaam kya hoga ab dekhein
Ujade khaime bhi jo loot'te ja rahe hain 

Ghar dhank bhi diya aaino se humne yaaro
Ye kyun ghar mein patthar nahin aa rahe hain

Zeest roshan karte ye armaanon ke sholay
Baraste farebon se bujhe jaa rahe hain

Apni ena mein giraftaar hoon main

Apni enaa mein giraftaar hoon main
Sahal manzil ko dushwaar hoon main

Aasmani fitna kehta tha main usko
kya ek satehi khalafshaar hoon main

sab kuch tha mera jab wo mera tha
Ab taghaaful ka ishtehaar hoon main

Reh gayee ho jo apne naseeb ko rone ko
Khandahar ki wo sabit dewaar hoon main

Mujhse milne se pehle ye jaan lo
ishq jaisa ek la ilaaj azaar hoon main

ab ek bhi tasveer ban nahin paati
ab apne hi tasavvur se do chaar hoon main

a sher

Mehfil mein teri mera raqeeb bhi to ho

Izhaar e ishq ka lutf in saada dilon mein kya

Dont Talk. Just Text.

A word that doesn’t come out right

Is the one that starts the fight

Said in one, taken in another context

Henceforth don’t talk. Just text

I’ll be waiting by the phone’s screen

Heart a flutter and thumbs twitchy

Emoticons provide an easy subtext

Yes, let’s not talk. Just text

Unshadowed by tone let meaning prevail

when windless our words set sail

Neither are you lost nor am I vexed

If you don’t talk. Just text

Inattention is never a bone and

eye contact no matter of pride

when presence goes , voice goes next

so I tell you don’t talk. Just text

Cool as us, under the sky of separation

And of course when we’re together

Love is a given and needs no pretext

Unspoken words are after all just text.

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

Barsaat ki ek raat aisi bhi...

Kal saari raat khada raha balcony mein baarish to dekhta raha girte hue....

peepal ke patto per ghanghanaati,

kabelu ke chhat per dandanaati hui baarish...

jismein hawaa se jhonke jhakkad ho rahe thhey. 

Phir saamne sadak per ek gaadi ruki kuch log nikle shayad kisi party se aa rahe thhey. Ek ladki nikli jisne chota sa kaala dress pehna hua thha... sir ke upar per apna clutch rakhti hui ek ped ke neeche ja khadi hui.... ladke ne apne jacket ko sar ke upar kiya aur jhat se nikal kar darwaza band kiya. un logon ne gaadi ki taraf bye kiya aur phir gaadi tezi se aage nikal gayee... unka ghar thoda andar hoga... maine unhe andhere mein pehchaana nahin, waise bhi aajkal kayee naye log bastee ke andar ke makaano mein rehne aaye thhey... kuch firangi, kuch arbi aur baaki sab mulki. Wo log thodi der ped ke neeche hichkichaaye aur phir ek doosre ka haath thaam kar daudte hue gali mein gaye....ladki ki hansee bhi sunaayi di mujhe..

Door, upar, Fortune Heights ke ek flat ki chatt mein roshni nacch rahi thi... halki si awaaz bhi baarish ko paar kar ke aa rahi thi... lagta hai koi film director apni agli film ki prerna le raha hai raat ke teen baje... wo apna TV band karke bahar kyun nahin dekhta? Shayad itne upar se use wo sab na dikhaayi de jo mujhe doosri manzil se dikhta hai. 

Achcanak biwi uth ke peeche aa ke khadi ho gayee.... main jab aisa karta hoon to use achcha nahin lagta... lekin khud zaroor karti hai, kehti hai ki aap ko to jhatke se darr nahin lagta to phir kya problem hai? ab kaun bataaye ki jhatka lagna aur dikhaana do alag baatein hain. Usne poocha ki kya baat hai. Maine kaha kuch nahin baarish achchi ho rahi hai to yahaan se dekh raha hoon... kehne lagi ki itne zukaam mein ye kya soojha ... maine baat aage badhe is se pehle sar ko towel se cover ker liya...kuch der mere saath khamoshi s khade reh ke baarish ko dekh rahi thi, Phir wo chali gai..... sadak per ek aadmi lathi peet'te hue aa raha tha. Abhi nazar bhi nahin aa raha tha lekin awaaz saaf aa rahi thi. Phir nazar aya, umardaraaz, safed daadhi, tez kadam, buland awaaz raat ke sannate ko cheerti hui... logon ko utha raha tha wo sehri ke liye... purane zamaane ka alarm system... rozedaaron ko keh raha tha ki utho sehri ka waqt ho gaya hai... bheegta hua... waise ek haath mein ek chaata doosre mein lathi, thak thak karne ke liye...

Thodi der baad main kitchen mein gaya. Sehri ke liye ande banaye, aur doodh waghairah garam kiya... kitchen mein khadbad sun ker biwi bhi aa gayi.. maine use lauta diya... kabhi kabhaar to main kuch karta hoon... aaj dus minute extra aaram kar le.... Sabne sehri kee aur phir so gaye... mere liye sabse zyada uljhan ka waqt rehta hai jab sehri ki mohlat khatm hone wala pataakha phoot'ta hai... mujhe ain tabhi paani peena rehta hai. Usse pehle kitna bhi pee lun pyaas lag hi jaati hai pataakha phoot'te hi.

Dimaag se saare futoor nikalte hue main apne bistar ki ore chala... ankh se paani beh raha tha musalsal so sone nahin diya aur main phir kisi pehredaar ki tarah towel sar per baandh kar balcony ka darwaza khol kar baarish ko phir se dekhne laga. 

Thank you Lord

Thank you Lord for all
Those who came into my life
Those who stayed away
Those who came and went away
Those who went and came back
Those who are yet to come

Thank you for all
That you gave me
That you gave me and took away
That you kept me from

Thank you for everything
For you know me better than me
For you love me more than me
For you make it all happen  
All things that are best for me

Prismatic eyes

I stare into your prismatic eyes
Sear my sight searching
For the truth proves refractory
All that comes forth
from white unbroken light
Is a pure white lie

Sept 2012

MAN OF STEEL

How does one review the Man of Steel? With a bit of Kryptonite between one's teeth. That is how I suspect the director has directed this film, too.

Superman's story has always been one from the human's perspective. Even the Krypton narratives have traditionally been done pretty human like. But Zach Snyder wants us to forget the past and learn about Superman in a new way. His way, Nolan's way. The doomed planet and the shenanigans of those that occupy it take much of the movie' more than needed in my view. Flipside is Russel Crowe gets to do much more than Marlon Brando got to in the 1979 flick. Only difference is Richard Donner was way more successful a director than Snyder is. But that's not an issue here. but its a realisation that sticks.

The cinematic similarities between Star Trek and MOS are riveting. Doomed Planet check, high council check, Earth's core in peril, check. Villians from space, check. Not just this list but General Zod's very grey character has never been clearly shown as evil. But he got the bangs. Julius Ceaser himself hadn't got this as good.

I love the depiction despite the similarities ringing in my mind. But what I could not fathom was why have the cross processing that gave the film a shot in the deep freezer look. Everybody is paler. but the clotheslines sequences are pure magic. seen it in the trailers but even then. And check out Fishburne hamming a restrained Perry White. Yes he's done it.

Amy Adams succeeds in being completely ignorable in her role. Zod's henchwoman though is hot. Kevin Costner and Diane Lane are superbly cast in their roles but Kent Sr's death is too 'filmy' for my liking. Smacks of unnecessary drama. After all this is Kansas, not Sparta! Lane does little with the few opportunities she got. Maybe its that kind of film.

So it brings us to the hero of the film. Like any action, sci fi superhero movie, its the effects and camera work. The true hero of the movie is speed and nothing else. So much so that most of the time you don't get much of what is being shown.

Half the movie goes before Clark dons the blue suit. And when he does, its missing the trademark red briefs. How can you have Superman and not have red chadds? That to me smacks of desperation on part of the makers to reinterpret Superman. Did they sit sround saying things like "He is ridiculous in that red thing. His cape is red, his boots are red and thats it. No red briefs" What they dont understand is that he is going to look ridiculous either ways. What they don't understand is he doesnt care. And unlike all other superheroes Superman has no dark sides. He is a clear, one sided chap. He doesn't have doubts in his mind. He doesn't have to....And the forcefully inserted darker elements that this movie tries to depict all fall flat.

There is another chap in the movie, Henry Cavill, now what role did he play? Honestly,for all the cheesiness, I'd take a Christopher Reeve over him any day or even a Brandon Routh. But this guy is too square jawed... Too stiff and too expressionless. In my book he is useless. And by making Superman kill someone they made him go bad...not a good thing.  Henry, dear lost boy, you may be a demi god but not a Superman. Definetely not without the red undies.

Jiske haath jitna aaye utna wo le jaaye

Jiske haath jitna aye utna wo le jaaye
maal sarkari ho to hissa kaun lagaaye

Marta hai to mareez mar bhi jaaye
Maseeha hain so rahe kaun jagaaye

Muflis musalmaan jo ho jaaye
Wo phir bechaara bhi na kehlaaye

Putla banao to pathhar ka yaaro
Lohe ko zang akhir khaa hi jaaye

Sadte jhooth khoob hain sab nigal rahe
Pet ek din phool ke phat na jaaye

Lafzon mein zeher utartaa kyun nahin
Ragon mein ise kab tak koi daudaaye

Aye jo poochne log ustaad ke usko
'Quateel' sar jhukaaye bas muskuraaye

Khaahishein Behisaab Rakhte Hain

Khaahishein behisaab rakhte hain
Us par arzu e savaab rakhte hain

Taghaaful kare baghbaan to hum
Kaliyon per shabaab rakhte hain

lab pe sawaal le kar aayein hain
Jo ankhon mein kitaab rakhte hain

Hum ehl e sehra e furqat daraaz
Har lamhe ka hisaab rakhte hain

Baatein banaate nahin 'Quateel'
Ek yahi aib janaab rakhte hain

Quateel Ahmad
17 May 2013

Sher

Haqeeqat ishq ki humse kya poochiye 
Hum to saraabon mein saraabor hain





What is the reality of love you ask me
Immersed in mirages am I

Qataa

Dil ko khushi de kabhi wo kaam na kar sake
Lutf o ishrat kabhi apne naam na kar sake
Sar per itne ghamon ko bitha liya hum ne
Gham e hayaat ka hum ehteraam na kar sake