Begin

By Ajay Patil

Khauf Hai

-Vartika Vani

Khauf hai

Ki alfaaz ab mere panne par sajte nahi hai 

Lafz nikalte nahi the ab ehsaas bhi aansoo mein fisalte nahi hai

Khauf hai

Ki taaron ko dekh ke ab khaamoshi mehsoos hoti hai 

Ishq, ishrat, nafrat kinaaron mein mehfooz soti hai 

Khauf hai 

Ki bewafaai khud se, khud ko bataane mein sharm hai

Khauf hai

Mannat uski darbaar mein khudko ko jataane mein sharm hai 

Pardon ke peechhe chhipte raaz ke khulne ka khauf hai

Khud ko khud ki kaali parchhaai se milne ka khauf hai

Bezaar sirf baaton mein bik jaane ka khauf hai

Rokar apni husool-e-maqsad ghum jaane ka khauf hai

Khauf hai

Ki izhaar ke muntazir ab manzil chhod denge

Raah dekhne wale ab ummeedon se muh mod lenge

Par ab nahi kisi ke na hone ka khauf hai 

Khud ko, khud se, khone ka khauf hai.

After All.

            - Mohammed Jabalpurwala

We all are stars after all,

And this world is our midnight sky.

With the fire to do something within us,

And the desire to shine up high.

We all are candles after all,

Burning and melting slowly. 

Spreading brightness into the world,

So that it shines in glory.

We all are books after all,

And each friend is a chapter.

Pretty long book would it be,

Mainly composed of memories and laughter.

We all are rain after all,

Joy to some and also havoc maybe.

Can't be in everybody's good books after all,

That's how life should be.

We all are humans after all,

Finding metaphors for self-discovery.

Stabbed by heartbreaks in this cruel world,

And now seeking for recovery.

Tadpi Aankhen.

-Vartika Vani

Tadpi aankhon ne Bheegi raaton mein khaulta jism dekha hai,

Tanha dil ne badhti dhadkan mein khota ishq dekha hai.

Aur dekha aankhon ne bhi aansoo ko ibaadat ke darmiyaan,

Fooke shamshaano mein jalte vaado ne jhoota Kashish dekha hai

Tadpi aankhon ne bheegi raaton mein khota ishq dekha hai.

Aksar dargah pe uski dua mein khud ko pighalte dekha hai

Kho kar tanhaai mein uski khud ko machalte dekha hai.

Uski baatein sun baadal ko garajte dekha hai

Aksar yaad mein apne aansoo ko baraste dekha hai

Tadpi aankhon ne bheegi raaton mein khaulta jism dekha hai

Tanha dil ne badhti dhadkan mein khota ishq dekha hai.

Toh aaj waqt hai, toh alfaazo ko Jung karte dekha hai,

Bujhi raat mein uski muskaan ka rang, bharte dekha hai

Raaton mein roshni ka zikr dekha hai,

Aaj maano choote ishq ne laut-ta fikr dekha hai

Fooke shamshaano mein jalte vaado ne choota Kashish dekha hai

Tadpi aankhon ne bheegi raaton mein khota ishq dekha hai.

The Coffee Date

                        -Mohammed Jabalpurwala

I felt like it was destiny

I saw you and you saw me

Yet again it was a rainy day

You told me "should I go first if you may?"

At the coffee counter of course

"Should have said Hi," I said in remorse

I then went ahead after you

With not the slightest chance to ever see you

But there you were yet another day

Sipping that coffee gazing the rain

"Hi, do you remember me?"

Tears in your eyes, I did not see

"Shouldn't have said it that loud you fool"

That's how I started sinking in the overthinking pool

Disaster, distress, debacle this was

Wait, why am I panicking without a cause?

"Hey, I am sorry why are you crying?"

In my head, I thought "please please please don't reject, I am just trying."

But then a big laugh came out

"Wait did I say that line out loud?"

She said, "You still got ink stain on your face!"

how did I not see that in 2 days

But that was a great start to a conversation at last

The rains grew loud and the wind blew fast

Now there is complete silence, what else to talk I wonder

Suddenly the sky roared with thunder.

She gasped and I held her hand,

"Hey don't worry the chaos of the sky shall not touch the land"

"Hey in any way help you need might?"

My broken grammar made her confide.

The reason for her tears shall I not say

But I gave her a smile that lasted for the entire day.

And we met again times many more,

Happily ever after is true after all

T'was the rainy day of June 8th,

This was our first coffee date.