A time came when I thought I am not going to grow up, And become the man I deserved, To be, with the amount of pain I withstood. But then these words came in my life, and they saved me from dying, They gave me the feathers to fly, And touch the sky, with a thousand nautical mile. No, I was never dumb or mute, I just didn’t wanna talk to you, Not because we had any unresolved issues, But you just wouldn’t have understood it through. What it means to be a loner in an overcrowded world, And no one being there share it to. But now I am back, With all the aggression that I earlier lacked, If you diss me, I will diss you more, get that, And If you behave, you’ll surely gain my respect. I don’t care what you think of me, I don’t have time to spend on thee, I ain’t saying make me an idol and start worshiping, But I deserve my space and Now I demanding it. ...

अब तक इतना क्यों रुलाया तुमने, पहले क्यों नहीं आये ज़िन्दगी में। हाँ नहीं ढूँढ पाया मैं तुम्हें, पर मैं तो खड़ा था यहीं। तुम ही आ जाते मुझे लेने। हर वक़्त सोचता हूँ, और कैसे मैं हँसाऊं तुम्हें, गुज़रा वक़्त जो नहीं मिला, वो कैसे वापस लाऊँ फिर मैं , जानती हो ना, तुम्हारी हँसी से, मेरे कितने घाव भर जाते हैं, एक ले दो मेरा नाम, प्यार से, मेरे बहुत से दर्द मिट जाते हैं। फिर अब तक इतना क्यों तड़पाया तुमने, बोलो ना, पहले क्यों नहीं आये ज़िन्दगी में ? ...

They said I am a poet. I used to take that as a compliment. But now I understand, it’s a responsibility. A responsibility to tell the story that was left unsaid, To unearth the emotions that were left unfelt, To force the nature to do things that were left undone. Up until now I never quite understood how a pen could be mightier than a sword. But now I know. A sword can only kill, Words can both kill and save someone. ...

जो कहना है कहा नहीं जाता, तुम अजीब-ओ-गरीब बातें करते हो। जो मैं पूरी कर नहीं सकता, न जाने कैसी-कैसी फरियादें करते हो। क्या सुनूँ, क्या समझूँ मैं, तुम क्या कहते, क्या छुपा कर रखते हो। न जाने क्यों लगता है तुम्हें, दवा नहीं मैं, इसलिए अपना मर्ज़ दबा कर रखते हो। छोड़ो, जब दूर जाते जाते थक जाओ, तो लौट आना, मैं कहाँ मिलूंगा, इसका पता तो तुम रखते हो। ...

Sitting around, I try to make sense of this life, Sometimes it feels lovely sometimes it feels like a knife, Has been put around my neck, And someone is choking me from inside, as I gasp for breadth. I get up everyday, all pumped up to conquer, The world, but then the external and internal forces conspire and whisper, to each other. They make me lose the battle even before it starts, And that’s why I hate it so much, because I don’t even get a chance, To fight for the glory, To fight for respect, To fight these demons, Hiding inside my head. ...

मुरझाई थी फूल की कली , थी बेजान डाल बेल की , तेरे बसंत से खिल गयीं , जो फिर आ गयी… तू फरवरी की धूप सी। गुनगुनी खिली खिली। शिकायत तुझे इस बात की , तेरी प्यास से दिल बुझता नहीं , मगर ज़रा से में जो बुझ गयी , तेरी प्यास फिर किस काम की। तुझ बिन है रहती उदासी , तुझ संग बंध गयी ख़ुशी। अब तू है सब कुछ तभी , जो तू नहीं, तो कुछ नहीं। ...

I feel I am surrounded by vultures who are hungry for my flesh and skin. And the only way to save myself is to become a flesh-eater myself. I am tired of having to compete for things that don’t matter to me. And I am tired of trying to explain myself to the ones who would never understand me. All this rationality and logics of the world makes me sick through my bones… I want to go live in a world where irrationality rules. Where people are mad, so that even if they don’t understand my insanity, they won’t judge me at least. Where no one would laugh when I say I can achieve anything I want to. Where no one would lecture me about the rules, because none exists. Where I would be free to create and break my own customs, tread my own path, and decide what, when and how to love. That’s the world I dream to live in one day. And take my own world there, with me. ...

ज़िन्दगी कुछ इस तरह से गुज़रती गयी , कुछ उसकी याद में, कुछ उसकी आस में , कुछ उससे , कुछ उसी की बात में , मुट्ठियाँ बंद करता रहा, वो फिसलती गयी। कुछ लड़ते लड़ते, अंहम को लगी ठेस में। कुछ नाराज़गी, कुछ अफ़सोस में , मैं चीखता रहा, वो दूर होती गयी। कुछ सोचने में, कुछ समझने में , कुछ गलतफहमियों से निकालने, निकलने में , बेबस खड़ा रहा, वो धीरे धीरे कहीं खोती गयी। ...

My Friend, I see you everyday, I think about you everyday, After getting up and before sleeping. I care so much about you, but I can’t tell, I fear I would lose you, As Love, but also as a friend. You can’t imagine what it feels, To hear someone else’s name from your lips, And to pretend to be elated about it. I wish I could take you away, And make you fall in love with me. I wish I could make you laugh n’ laugh , Until you start begging no more please. I wish I didn’t have to eat my words, Every time you asked “who’s she?” I wish I didn’t have to wish so much, I wish it could have all come true. I know it’s unfair to you, I know you would think I deceived you, But try to understand my difficulty, If you could. I am sorry, but I love you. ...

उसके क़दमों से होकर राहें निकला करती थीं , उसकी आँखों को छूकर रौशनी दिखा करती थी , उसकी साँसों में घुलकर खुशबू बहा करती थी , उसकी ऊँगली पकड़कर खुशियाँ चला करती थीं। ऐ खुदा, वो समा, फिर ज़रा, ले आइये। मुझे उसकी, चाशनी सी, गीली हंसी, फिर चाहिए। उसकी लटों में घुसके, ओस नहा लेती थी , उसके कानों में हौले से, लोरियाँ गा लेती थीं , उसके आँचल के तले शाम रहा करती थी। उसके आँचल के नीचे ही नींद सोया करती थी। ऐ खुदा, सुन ज़रा, मेरी फरमाइश ये , मुझे उसकी, चाशनी सी, गीली हंसी, फिर चाहिए। ...