Sunset at 5

As the sun set

the trees held it 

in their outstretched limbs.

When it tumbled down their delicate leaves,

the papery green curtains

shielded me:

cutting through its terrible glare

leaving trails of 

golden-red glitter

on the scattered dust of traffic

below.

Sunset at 5

Chaukhat

It should be easy to
Blend in the
shor of the city.
Dilli ki 
gaadiyan aur bheed ke
Band Baja Barat mein
There's no fear of being found.

phir bhi pata nahin kyun

atki hui hoon

iss chaukhat par,

ek paun ghar ki

chhaya mein

ek haath middle class ki

Asperational values ki

or badhaya hua.

khoyi hui mehsoos karti hoon

And yet

I know I am fully seen.

Parents,

Teachers,

didi,

rikshavale, 

muhallevale,

poojarivaale:

Everyone is watching,

Everyone is listening

kaise 

shabdon ki ladiyan

mujhse

self-consciously

jodi jaatin hain.

sab jaante hainn

inn baaton se kaise

nazarein churayin jaatin hain.

Sabke paas nuske hain 

is condition ki:
haldi le lo,
amla le lo,
aankhe meench lo,
Time se kha lo.
Kehte hain
angrez,
Gandhi,
Ambedkar aur
Aurangzeb ki galti hai ki
main
shakkar ke tarah
garam doodh mein
doobkar
ghul nahin pati.
agar sawaalon ki 
milavat na hoti
toh shayad
neend aajaati.

Par sapnon mein bhi
kho jane ka chain kahan?
Kaise ghul jaun iss noise mein
jab I don't even belong to
The bhasha I dream in?

Chaukhat