5, Southern Avenue | Sreejita Basu

The address of my childhood

Smelt of dust.

As the Calcutta of the nineties whizzed by,

It left its mark on our bulky sofa sets,

The acquired knick-knacks called 'showpieces'

And the mustard oil soaked skin

Of my five-year-old self.

The address of my childhood smelt of bougainvillea;

The papery purple devoid of any fragrance.

But I still believed otherwise

As I tucked them safe between my '50 Favourite Fairy Tales'.

The address of my childhood smelt of sunlight

Seeping in through ventilators where sparrows resided

Coming out from time to time

To disturb the semblance of the whirring ceiling fans

Working hard to dissipate the humid Calcutta noon.

The address of my childhood

Smelt of Thakuma's pujo paraphernalia

The subtle dominance of the incense and the dhuno

Overwhelming the household

And the smell of my mother's talcum powder,

Calamine lotion and laughter.

The address of my childhood

Smelt of Baba's laboured ambition.

We had to move on.

The smell of desolation

Now mixed with the dust

We did not bother with anymore.

The Voice of the Sea | Abhroneel Ghosh

The salty spray seems always to only sting,

As the sea flicks it toward me, ever so persistent,

But not a sting of hostility, or that of cruelty,

More a cordial touch scathed by pasts unpleasant.

With seething white foam it greets all newcomers,

Yet if you venture deep enough it goes utterly silent,

The same steady waves more gentle, less assertive,

Yet always remaining unwaveringly patient.

Always sweeping in and drawing back out again,

As it follows a beating heart not unlike our own,

A sombre unpredictability to its many patterns,

A being as truly powerful as it is truly alone.

A soul of as much wisdom as its infinite horizons,

As its wavelets lap past my feet on a moonlit shore,

It shares its plights, and time-borne sagacity,

And my very own burden seems to lighten just a little more.

Chance or Choice | Sandeep Kumar Yadav

They say that I was born here by chance,

They say it's impossible for me to take a stance;

Menial is my clan so is my future,

If I try and be something it's against nature.

It the fate which determines each moment and deed,

None could break this periphery no one could exceed;

Sun shall never be cold and trees can never fly,

Mountains cannot walk and oceans never dry.

Light can never be dark an' darkness cannot shine,

What I'm not destined for it can never be mine.

Wait wait for a moment,let us heed again:

Whether there is a process or by itself falls rain?

Out of hundred million sperms it was I who came,

Fitness is an issue but it wasn't a simple game.

Salty vapour of the sea gives us sweet water,

He who often dreams of a son always gets daughter;

This is by chance he who says don't you think is fool?

Process has to have a processor, every machine a tool.

Mountains cannot walk,for they have chosen to guard;

Oceans never dry because they signed a pact with God,

If trees could fly then where would birds, sit and sing and rest?

This whole world would freeze enough if sun gets cold lest.

Neither bard's (William Shakespeare) father was a poet nor Kant's dad a philosopher,

I pity Socrates was sculptor, if clan is what you much ponder.

Choice is what freewill extends its pious hands to us,

He who strives to know his role wins His heart thus;

Choice is what we need to make not depending on our strength,

Strength is what He keeps giving to one who choses better length.

Choice is what we need to make the final goal of life,

It is to please who gave us breath to help Him in His strife;

Choice is what makes us lively and adds real flavour,

A clean conscience never ever expects any favour.

Evolution is a fantasy a fiction to be cherished,

Creation is a reality and choice to be relished;

Chance is always favoured by those are weak an' sterile,

Choice is valour choice is chivalry for who are virile.

My omnipotent dearest God I choose to be with You,

I know that on Your pious path there'll be only few;

O dear God do fill my heart with all Your strength and love,

I promise You to free my brothers like a white dove.

जिन्दगी | Shubhra Srivastava

आज फिर रूठी सी है जिन्दगी

फिर से सूखी सी है जिन्दगी

बहुत कुछ है पास उसके

‌फिर भी टूटी सी है जिन्दगी|

जवाब मांगती रही सबसे,

अपने होने का एहसास मांगती रही सबसे

पर फिर भी छूटी सी है जिंदगी

इन रातों के अंधेरों में कहीं गुम सी है,

लगता है फिर से उन काले बादलों के बीच कहीं छुप सी गई है जिंदगी|

उम्मीद का कफन अोढ जीने चली है अपनी हर एक सांस ,

अरे, जरा सुनो तो, आज चमकदार मोती सी है जिंदगी

ना जाने कब इस उम्र को नजर लग जाए यह सोचकर थोड़ी सहमी सी है जिन्दगी

उम्र का क्या है वह तो एक अंक है,

यह जानकर चुलबुली सी है जिंदगी|

कभी बच्चों से लड़ती है तो कभी प्यार में पड़ती है

ऐसी है यह नटखट जिंदगी|

उम्र का तकाजा हो और साथ हो बुढ़ापे की लाठी,

लेकिन फिर भी वह सहारे को तरसती है जिंदगी|

पल भर जी कर कुछ एहसास में खो जाए

दिलों में अमर होकर यह दुनिया छोड़ जाए

आज जाना के कैसी है यह जिंदगी|

लड़की होना पाप नहीं | Mansi Yadav

लड़की होना कोई पाप नहीं,

ये किसी पर कोई श्राप नहीं,

इंसान है वो भी, कोइ बोझ नहीं,

सपने उसके भी तो हैं, बस उन सपनों का कोई मोल नहीं,

जिंदगी तो उसकी भी है, पर उस जिंदगी पर उसका ही कोई ज़ोर नहीं |

कुछ को जन्म लेते ही म्रत्यु उपहार मिली,

तो किसी ने पूरी जिंदगी चूल्हा-चौका और शादी बस यही जिंदगी है,

ये हर दिशा से आती आवाज सुनी |

बैठी है इस काल कोठरी में, और बस देखे जाए उस झरोखे को इस आस में की कहीं से तो उम्मीद की किरण बरसे,

अपनी गीली पलकें और सूजी आंखें लेकर बस वो सोचे,

कि क्यूँ बापू जी,

मैं तुम्हें हमेशा ही परायी लगी ?

क्यूँ बापूजी,

मैं तुम्हें बस तुम्हारे कांधे पर लधा बोझ लगी ?

क्यूँ बापूजी,

तुम्हारे भी कान में इस समाज की ही आवाज पडी?

कैसे तुम्हें तुम्हारी बिटिया की सिसकियों और आँखों में भरे आसुओं में दर्द से भरे सैलाब की खबर तक नहीं लगी?

ऐसा भी क्या हुआ बापूजी

जो तुम्हारी खुद की सन्तान से भी पहले तुम्हें हमेशा से दूसरों की ही चिंता लगी |

शादी बियाह की क्यूँ तुम्हें इतनी फिक्र लगी

जरा सोचो तो, जो एक बार गई तो किसको ख़बर वापस लौट पाऊँगी भी या नहीं |

क्यूँ बापूजी तुम्हें खुद से दूर करने की मुझे है इतनी जल्दी लगी?

क्यूँ मैं इस डोली को अपने सपनों की अर्थी बनाऊं |

जन्म दिया है तो लड़ना सिखाओ

सुनानी है तो झाँसी की रानी, इंदिरा गांधी, मदर टेरेसा जैसे वीर योद्धाओं की कहानियाँ सुनाओ

ये मासूम गुड़िया बनाकर मेरी इच्छाओं और मेरे सपनों का शोषण ना कराओ |

दुनिया जैसे भी है, पर तुम तो मुझे और मेरे संपूर्ण व्यक्तित्व को अपनाओ,

शादी की महत्वता को मैं समझती हूं, पर मेरी सोच, मेरे नजरिये, मेरी ख्वाहिशों को समझने का बड़प्पन तुम भी तो दिखाओ |

लड़की कोई भी कमज़ोर नहीं, उसमें काली की ज्वाला है,

पुरुष प्रधान देश कैसे हुआ जब हर सैनिक तक का "भारत माता की जय" ये नारा है |

A Pursuit of Peace | Paramjit Paul

And I silently watch him, breathing heavily the cold winter air,

Filling his lungs, eyes frozen, lost in thoughts, lips numb –

With just an aching heart and ghastly shadows curbing his mind,

He would sit motionless, long blank gaze towards infinity.

I watch him sleep, lying beside, caressing his hair,

Like a child cuddling to the slumber bind, he closes his eyes;

For his spirit is burdened, heart punctured and soul forlorn,

And deep within his loneliness, he still urges a return.

I see him waking up at night, screaming;

Shadows haunt, a slave he became to the weird nightmares –

And finally he would stay awake, emptying the whiskey bottles

Whilst scribbling down thoughts, a surrender to his horrid past.

And every morning he would visit the cemetery

Where his brothers-in-arms are laid to rest,

He would sit for hours silently, staring blankly on the graves,

For a war still wages on his mind, harder to efface.

The war was finally over, peace has been restored,

But I couldn’t find serenity deep within his soul;

For he lost his innocence, the day he lost his brothers,

A curse to the core, for being a lone survivor, death-betoken.

And years later, for the first time, I see tears welling in the frost,

Like thousand years of clamor been brought to respite,

He smiled when he looked into the innocent eyes, he finally found his peace

With the touch of life, he held our new born in his arms.

Hindu ya musalman | Arpit Khanna

Kisi shaks ne mujhse pucha, ke bhyi istri

Kiski zada mehfoos hai hindu ki ta musalman ki?

Main bola ke

Kya ban rha samaj...

Kya haiwaniyat ka ilaj...

Jaha tha naari ko poojta ...

Aj kaam kyu hai pooj rha...

Bata tune khuda or bhagwan...

Kitna badal rha insaan ...

Kya ban rha insan...

Becha tune harr zarra ae iemaan...

Mehfoos na koi ab,

Chahe hai tu hindu ya ho musalmaan...

Nazare sabki khraab yaha,

Tu hi bta kaha jaye ab yeh insaan...

Kitna badal rha insaan...

Kya ban rha insaan...

Fir ussi shaks ne mujhse dobara pucha ke bhyi

Tum btao tum hindu ho ya musalman?

Kon hindu kon musalmaan....

Kon sahi kon galt kya....

Mein jaanu sai bss tujhe hi....

Mujhe raabta tere naam ka ....

Waqif yeh duniya nhi tere kaarnamo se...

Isiliye ladd rha insaan hi insaano se...

Rehmat hai tere darr ki ...

Ke abhi tk mehfoos hum hai....

Vrna dharmo ne toh baat hi diya...

Kon hindu kon musalmaan hai...

Yeh drishye dekho ...

Toh rang dono ka hi laal hai...

Iss baat se saari qaynat hi anjaan hai...

Laash pdi hai mere qurbat me...

Btao kon hindu kon musalmaan hai...

to my davinci | Sneha Banerjee

my davinci my love, davinci your words were like sugar to me until they weren’t and until they were again and until i had no clue what they were until they just made sense to me until they felt like home, my home

there is so much pain so much agony so much trepidation in loving you but i’d take it, i’d take it through the day and night even if the world were against me heck, i’d take it if you were against me

for you my davinci you’ve made me laugh till my stomach hurt made me lay curled up in my own puddle of tears made every organ in me burn with raging jealousy when it was not for me to be, made my skin shiver with goosebumps every time you touched made me stay up nights with throbbing eyes with a pacing heart

for knowing that you live in the same parallel is solace alone to me

there is a crawling uneasiness within me that pangs all over me all around me till i stand desolate for the unmatched fear of never being yours plagues me

countless mistakes repulse regrets surround you my davinci breaking every inch of my composure i’ve left behind so much of my sanity vanity for a tinge of sense of sanctuary if that means it is you

here, my dearest davinci i despise myself a little more every day you’re another foot away

for my davinci loving isn’t easy i’ve clenched my soul can’t you see?

to know you’ve teared because of me is like a thousand needles grinding into my fingernails

i’ve never said so nor perhaps will ever to you but my davinci my love, davinci you’re the sweetest disguise of empathy to me the hardest to resonate

to find solace with me isn’t child’s play crippling anxiety thundering questions numerous doubts cloud around me i wouldn’t dare ask you to bare it and i honestly do not think you ever should

i’m a nocturnal animal in my own phase i do not know if you’ll ever really know the butterflies you bring in me there is so much hammered self-respect swallowed pride neglected health

i do not know where i stand as an individual anymore

to know there is a future, a future for just you and me and me and you is a piece of heaven the sense of conviction is the scent of luxury

dear davinci, my davinci, by when this storm ends i wish you’re mine and only mine and i’m yours and only yours and i only hope we learn to cherish ourselves the way we talked about to wake up to the success of our yesterdays and our tomorrows i hope we become us the way we talk about us the way we reek of us the way people see of us i hope we become us, of so bloody in love

कहना चाहूं मैं कितनी बातें | Ankita Yadav

कहना चाहूं मैं कितनी बातें

ऐसे ही, यूं ही

बेवक्त,बेवजह

काम-काज छोड़ के

बातें करे हम बैठ के ।

अच्छाई नहीं तो,

किसी कि बुराई करे ।

फिर चाहे वह बाते,

निष्करण की करे ।

कभी मोहल्ले की हरी टंकी

तो कभी काली, सफ़ेद गिने ।

तो कभी चींटियों की बारात देखें ।

दुल्हन तो नखरे वाली हैं

और बेचारा दूल्हा सीधा-साधा हैं।

बुआ जी के श्रृंगार तो देखो

और फूफा जी का ठाट ना पूछो।

दुल्हे की बहन और

दुल्हन के का भाई का

अलग ही अवलोकन चल रहा हैं।

लगता है अगले लग्न में

इनकी ही बारी हैं।

अरे! अरे! छोड़ो यह सब,

जयमाल शुरू हो गया हैं।

फूल मोगरे का है

नहीं- नहीं चमेली के हैं।

अरे भाई दोनों ही फूल हैं।

शायद! खाने का

कार्यक्रम शुरू हो गया

क्या बात करती हो तुम!?

अभी तो फोटो-सोटो होगा।

हां हां चलो हम

भी करवा लेते हैं।

अच्छा रूको-रूको थोड़ा सा

वास्तविकता में शामिल हों।

घड़ी में समय तो देखो २:५६ हो गया।

अब हमें चलना चाहिए

किसी और दिन

ये प्रोग्राम होना चाहिए।

अरे हां वे दोनों

नये प्रेमी जोड़ा है ना

उनकी शादी साथ देख लेंगे।

और हां उसको

पूरा देख के ही जायेंगे।

आगे मैं अगले

लग्न का इन्तजार करू।

किसके घर कितनी नयी टंकी

उसे गिनने का प्रतीक्षा करु।

लिखा करू,बोला करू यूं ही

ना जाने

कहना चाहूं मैं कितनी बातें ।

Owner of the stethoscope | Misbath Ansari

During corona attack,

Whole world was fighting,

All the powers were hiding.

There arrives a team of an angle,

They again lightened the world like a candle.

They were wearing the coat white,

Working fearlessly day and night.

They brightened the people's hope,

They were no other,

but the owner of the stethoscope.

Hiraeth Longing | Aarya J

The first of may reminds me of a lot of things from the first rain to the first sight

Reminds me of the cold embraces of the wind to the glorious touch of summer breeze still in air

Like how a beautiful summer melody flows from a piano up above in perfect sync with the powerful string of a guitar

The magnificent dress that the earth wears just to match the admirable splash of colours the sky proudly carry

To kiss the summer breeze sitting on a park bench while the birds chirp somewhere making it sound like it was made for something unknown

The sky cried for the first time in a long while this year and the earth welcomed her sorrow to give back the beauty of it as flowers bloomed under her tears

The surrounding beauty was as majestic as eternal as the love i had for this moment alone

As i gaze upon the sun from my front balcony, sinking deep under earths hug as the moon is left to wonder what she did wrong again

And i kept gazing upon the sky over all the things left unsaid and the things yet to come

All of it all at once the feeling, the overwhelming emotion it flows from one heart to that of another

As it is still left to wonder why it was such that the longing for that embrace is merely a memory as the face and the touch fades away as the heart forgets how it felt to be the one

Aftermath of a War | Liz Thomas

Death,

Comrade of the slain,

The dark-visaged grandeur

Shrouded in mystery.

He runs amok the warfront

Calling the perished souls

to him, the anticipated stranger

Whose embrace few yearns.

Vengeance,

Progeny of the slain,

Appeals to the mighty Ares,

The army lies in wait.

Trickery, Cunning, and Selfishness,

Overlords of the pawns,

Whose lust for blood and the ensuing madness

Blinds them to their wrongs.

Clammy with pain,

Blood and gore coat their broken bodies,

"Mercy", they cry in vain

To the battle-hardened men with benumbed hearts.

The Pursuit of Life | Koshangi Sawarkar

Just close your eyes ,

You will feel fire .

Look at the flies ,

You would realise a burning desire.

When looking at mirror ,

Have been travelled a long way to be here .

An honest hour ,

I set aside ,

In the midst of a crowd my emotions started to pour .

With a relief I stood , as the water hide .

My phone was dead ,

Felt like today I am gonna fade .

With the brightness on the external ,

Could not surpass the darkness of my mind ,

Tears for believing this dark to be eternal .

Looked like this would pull me behind.

As the legs were too tired to cease at a place ,

This life I got , I didn't embrace .

Just left away ,

That only day .

And the time passes away ,

Giving me the new way .

It was a sudden thing ,

Universe sort of surprise ,

In the air my eyes catched the golden wing ,

I saw again the sun rise .

Felt an ease inner ,

Today I felt like I am the winner .

Just because those hands hold my hand ,

Just like a shed covering the man not leaving abandoned .

With that ray of hope ,

I survived to climb .

There was a steep and a slope ,

Overcoming those , new directions I find .

Just close your eyes ,

You will witness golden rays ,

With the darkness dies ,

I have passed through those days .

Open your eyes ,

Feel that feel ,

The destiny identifies ,

Cause I have the zeal .

From the reel to reality ,

I chose audacity .

With my bold settlement ,

I choose my betterment .

This attitude took a shape ,

With the grace of those hand ,

Situation never wanted me to escape .

Because of my mentor who made me stand .

সপ্তঋষি | Tandrika Biswas

"এক আকাশে শত তারা",

বলছে পথিক, দিশেহারা,

"কোথায় চললে, ও ছায়াপথ?

বাঁধো ও তোমার উজ্জ্বল রথ।

নিয়ে চলো দেখি তোমার সাথে ,

দেখবো কি আছে আকাশটা তে!"

"ঐ যে, ও যে সপ্তঋষি, আকাশের ওই পারে।",

পথিক বলে, "হে মুনিবর, জগৎসংসারে

ছিলে বলো দেখি কবে তোমরা? কত বৎসর আগে?"

শোনে পথিক আকাশে তার প্রতিউত্তর জাগে!

ক্রুত মুনি হেসে বলে তারে, "তখন সবে ভোর!

না ছিল যখন পাপের ছায়া, না লালসার ঘোর,

সত্য যখন লক্ষ্য এবং সন্ধান সুধু তার

দুহাত ভরে সাজিয়েছে যে এ জগৎসংসার।"

অবাক পথিক জিজ্ঞাসা করে, "খুঁজে পেয়েছিলে তাকে?"

পুলস্থ মুনি বলে হেসে, "সে কি চোখের সামনে থাকে?"

"নিরাকার সে, দেয় না ধরা।", বললে অত্রি মুনি।

পথিক বলে, "ধরনি, দেখনি, পাবে কি করে শুনি?"

কপাল ছুঁয়ে পুলহ মুনি বলে চক্ষুটি বুঁজে,

"তোমারই মধ্যে আছে সে, পথিক, দেখো একবার খুঁজে।"

অবাক পথিক গাঁ হাতড়ায়, "কোথায় সে? কোন অঙ্গে?"

মরিচি মুনি বলে, "পথিক, জড়বস্তুর সঙ্গে

বিধাতার কি থাকে কোনো মিল, নিরাকার যার রূপ?

সুন্দর সে, স্নিগ্ধ- শান্ত আলোর এক স্তূপ।"

হঠাৎ পথিক ফিরে তাকালে, "ওই যে কারা কাঁদে,

এত দিন তাঁরে বেধেছিল যারা মোহ অর আহ্লাদে।

কত শত লোক বুক চাপড়ায়, চোখের জলে ভাসে!

এত সব দেখে পথিকের মন বিষন্ন হয়ে আসে।

জিজ্ঞাসে সে, "হে মুনিবর, কেনো কাঁদে? ওরা কারা?"

"তোমার পুন্ন-রথ ধরিয়া পথে নামিয়েছে যারা",

বশিষ্ঠ মুনি আরও বলে, "ওরা সেই পথেরই যাত্রী

যে পথ দেখিয়ে চিরতরে চোখ বুঁজেছিলে সেই রাত্রি।

যে পথ ধরে তুমি, হে পথিক, চলিয়াছো পরলোক,

সে পথে চলিবে শিষ্যেরা তোমার, ভুলিবে দুঃখ- শোক।"

"এ পথ থামে কোথায় গিয়ে?", বললে পথিক ফিরে।

"পূজেছে মানুষ আজীবন জারে মন্দিরে মন্দিরে!"

বলে চলে আরও অঙ্গীরা মুনি, "দাও হে এবার পাড়ি,

মানুষ রূপে ছিল যা যা, সব সে বিকার ছাড়ি।"

পথিক দেখে সামনে তার পথ এক দীপ্তিময়,

শেষ প্রান্তে দাড়িয়ে যে এক আলোর বলয়।

তার দিকে চলে পথিক এবার, দেখেনা আর ফিরে

মৃত্যু নদীর অপর পাড়ে মর্তলোকের তীরে।

घरेलू हिंसा | Asha Upadhyay

माघ महीने का सर्द रात

हवा की रफ्तार कुछ तेज है।

चुप – चाप लेटी हुई हूं,

आसू भरी आंखे और चारो तरफ ओझल है,

खिड़की बाहर वो चांद की रोशनी,

खिड़की बाहर वो चांद की रोशनी,

आज चमकने के बजाए आसू भरी है।।

आंख से आसू बहाते

अपने विवाह के दिन को याद किया

कितनी खुस थी में;

कितना खुस था मेरा परिवार।

मां का घर छोड़कर,

मां का घर छोड़कर,

इस घर को खुसी से स्वीकार किया।।

विवाह जीवन का एक

अच्छा सुरुवात हुआ।

पति पत्नी का प्यार और लगाव गहरा हुआ;

जो सोचा था सब पूरा हो रहा जैसा लगता था,

जो सोचा था सब पूरा हो रहा जैसा लगता था,

पर, दुर्भाग्य का अंधकार छाया।।

मां नही बन सकी मैं,

घर का माहोल धीरे धीरे खराब होता गया।

मां न बनना वो दर्द और पीड़ा,

अपने मुस्कुराहट से छिपाती।

सास ससुर, रिश्तेदार और समाज

के व्यवहार को देख, मैं चौक जाती।

दिल टूटकर टुकड़े – टुकड़े हो जाते जब,

दिल टूटकर टुकड़े – टुकड़े हो जाते जब,

दिन प्रतिदान अपने पति के प्यार से

मैं वंचित होने लगी।।

रात रात भर मैं रोती,

बाँझ शब्द चार दीवारों में है गूंजती।

परिवार, रिश्तेदारों का तिरस्कार

आंखो के आगे है घूमती रहती।

सब गलती मेरी है – मैने स्वीकारा,

पति के शराब के लत को भी मैने स्वीकारा,

क्योंकि गलती मेरी है।

पर, वो लत इतनी बढ़ गई,

पर, वो लत इतनी बढ़ गई,

कि मैं घरेलू हिंसा की शिकार हो गई।।

माइका एवं समाज में कुछ बोलते ही

गलती मेरी है बोलकर मुझे चुप करा दिया गया।

अपना बाँझ होने का गलती स्वीकार कर

दिन – प्रतिदिन होने वाले

घरेलू हिंसा को भी मैने स्वीकारा।

चेहरे पर सिर्फ चोट के निशान है

शरीर भर कही जले हुए दाग,

तो कही नीले निशान है।

बंद कमरे में बैठ –

आसमान को बस देखती रहती हूं।

कमरे के अंदर कोई आए –

कमरे के अंदर कोई आए –

डर से सिमटकर, मैं कोने में छुपकर बैठती हूं।।

आज वो माघ महीने का सर्द रात

हवा की रफ्तार कुछ तेज है।

चुप – चाप लेटी हुई हूं,

आसू भरी आंखे और चारो तरफ ओझल है,

खिड़की बाहर वो चांद की रोशनी,

खिड़की बाहर वो चांद की रोशनी,

आज चमकने के बजाए आसू भरी है।।

Try again or stop trying? | Garima Dhanania

I can't do this anymore.

Should I stop trying ?

But, why? Haven't you heard,

"Try! Try! But don't cry."

I know I failed thrice,

But...fourth ones a lucky charm, right ?

The discouragement in those

pitiful glances, pierced my eyes.

All I wanted was a star,

But the society wanted more.

So, they put put me in a rocket,

And threw me toward the moon.

I gaslit myself into believing,

that I had the steering wheel.

What a joke ! I realised,

Even the passenger seat wasn't mine.

And now I'm done listening,

So answer me,

As I demand.

Why was I a sorry excuse,

For crying after failing,

In a field of your choice.

But suddenly an overachiever,

For wanting success,

In a field of mine.

Brave | Srishti Samant

My mother says

not all superheros wear capes.

Some wear armour shields and some uniforms.

But what they all wear in common is braveness.

Somedays she would caress

my hair back and call me her hero

even though

I couldn't even save myself.

Believe me I tried.

I tried my best to be tough

but I don't understand how much brave

is enough?

I tried so hard that I built an armour around me.

I tried so hard that I summoned all the swords from the hollows of my insides

and built an army.

I tried so hard but living with myself was a lost war.

I tried so hard but my body

became a graveyard of a broken somebody.

Of broken so many things.

Of the two hundred and six

broken bones that I couldn't fix

buried under my skin.

Of broken heart and choking lymphs.

Of broken wings.

Of memories of him.

Of my clavicle that broke like a fragile branch in a wild wind

of his breath when he kissed it.

Of a broken wrist which fell in love with a knife

but it killed it.

Of broken knuckles that fought constantly.

Of broken ankles that tried to run away from reality.

I tried.

I tried so hard

but I was so alone

with my army gone

I didn't have anyone to haunt

but me.

I tried to tell her

that most soldiers

have the kind of wound that doesn't heal.

I tried to tell her

that some armour shields

come back home empty

from their battlefields.

Smile | Ben Joseph Tharakan

Global communications device,

Using the zygomatic major,

And the orbicularis oculi,

Happiness, amusement or joy,

Universal language,

Response to stimuli,

Break barriers,

Across Cultural, Language and Religious divide,

Make friends or reconcile,

Pure emotion

Reactive stupidity

Convey positivity

Elevate mood, suppress pain or boost immunity,

Makes you attractive,

Oh is it contagious?

I tell you my friend,

Is your smile!

साद : आतूरल्या मनाला | Renuka Gavade

नागमोडी वाटेवर पायाखाली येणाऱ्या

पिवळ्या पानांच्या पायघड्यांचा तो स्पर्श,

त्यांचा तो विशिष्ट सुगंध,

चालताना होणारा त्यांचा तो आवाज,

बोलावतोय मला ;

सुर्योदयासोबत रंगांची उधळण करत,

काट्यातून फुलणारी ती रानफुलं,

साद घालतायत मला;

गृष्मतली ती पानगळ,

नव्या बहराची वाट बघत उभी असलेली

माझी गगनचुंबी झाडं वाट बघतायत,

माझ्या नव्या विचारांच्या नव्या पालविची ;

मन शांत करणारी वातावरणातली ती शांतता,

आतुर झालीय त्या सुखावणाऱ्या झुळूकेसाठी;

समुद्राच्या त्या अविरत लाटा

नाराजयत माझ्या थांबण्यावर,

पायाखालची वाळू सरकावत

एका नव्या प्रवासासाठी

अलगद नेऊ पाहतायत त्या मला

अथांग सागरात...

Woman A Sufferer | Poorvi Chawla

Around the globe seen so many of them,

Still in them similarity exist,

Some bubble out with anger,

Some cool down with air

I wish not Adam had eaten the forbidden Apple,

For we women till now bear.

I talk no big,

But I talk something main,

For the courage a woman sustains.

ADJUST! ADJUST! ADJUST !

is the badge we wear,

There is no other way let out,

For a woman to bear all the taunts

And still smile like a clown.

For a woman who holds the family together

Just as the roots of trees .

She who is the sufferer,

Is told to forget all things and start a new everyday,

Is that how a woman has to stay?

Let me remind...she is the princess,

Of her very own kingdom her father rules,

But that fades with the change of home,

She drops down dead from a happy girl to an unlearned soul.

Do we grow up to serve others????

I am sure God had not said.

How with a blink of an eye she is to call somebody else parents,

To whom she has met on the very first day.

It takes courage to be called parents of a daughter,

For we to be so rare,

God doesn't gifts diamond to all

He sees who can take care .

Nothing such written in ten commandments nor in holy books,

but we blind public to do so,

that so has been told.

Years have past by.. all grew with the growing nation

But it was a woman who stood back on the same station.

Cook food , look after children,stay home.

If humans are intelligent most who exist,

then I would wish Genie not to make me a human,

For she is who, who suffers