Ru Ba Ru

Yun samundar kinare tehelte hue,
Ek din zindagi rubaru ho gayi mujhse,
Kucch shuruaati taoruf ke baad maine kaha,
Tum kucch jaani pehchaani si lagti ho,
Kisi gali nukkad pe, chai ki dukaan par,
Kisi rail ke saamne wale platform par,
Kahi raashan ki bheed me, koi bus ki qataar me,
Kisi mandir me maatha teke, kisi maikhane ke bahaar girte padte,
Kahi to tumse mulaqat hui hai,
Dhundhli hi sahi, par woh yaad ab bhi zehen me hai,
Thik se yaad nahi ke tab tum kaisi thi,
Shayad musqurat se khilkhilaati, shayad nazaqat se balkhaati,
Thodi naazuk kucch sharmaati, kucch adaon me ithlaati,
Ya phir thodi si udaas thi tum,
Ek adhuri si kahani ki tarah, jo khatm hone se pehle hi khatm ho gayi,
Kya woh maayusi thi tumhare chehre par, Ya bas ladne ki thakaan,
Shayad hausla hi hoga, phir se jeet ke dikhane ka,
Jaane kyun yaad nahi aa raha, tumhe yaad ho to batao,
Aur zindagi ne muskuraake kaha, main to har woh jagah hu jaha tum ho,
Par tumhe zindagi jeene ki fursat hi kaha!

Foolish Choice

They all tell me, rather convince me, that my princess will come and kiss me; that everything will be wonderful; that I will turn into prince charming; that I will no longer be the frog that I am.

They see the pain on my face, the confusion, the disbelief; and they try to reiterate, make me believe.
And I transfer the same confusion, the same disbelief on their face, when I ask
Why can't I just be the frog that I am?

They pity me, argue, even mock at my foolish choice. A very few are curious enough to question me, ponder, ask for the reason.

It is just my choice, I say. Why does one have to be prince charming to live happily ever after? Why should one wait for the princess to come and redeem your life? Are you saying that frogs don't live happily ever after? Then what is that sound we here during monsoons?

I don't allow them time to answer; because I know they don't have any.

Are you truly meant to be happy with the princess whose condition to love you is for you to change into something else? And if you don't transform to the prince of her dream, she will leave you like the previous dozens and move to the next frog. Is that your definition of true love?

I thought true love was meant to be besides you, within you, when you are at the worst of your life. So how is it true love if it can be with you only after you have turned to prince charming?

I would rather be a frog and find true love than join the pretentious world where one has to be prince charming to get love.

They are still silent, listening to me; the jaws are still a bit dropped. I am still waiting for my answers. Do you have the answers??