Stardust

that passionate first kiss 

exploded almost a thousand 

stars in her empty sky 

enough to make her swirl and twirl 

in that shower of stardust

That first-ever date

he walked her to the foot of the railway bridge. for them, they were the only people amidst the bustling crowd. the sticky summer heat made him tie his long, thick curly tresses into a pony. he looked all the more cute to her with his chin dimple prominent and few curly strands falling on his cheek.

she was truly happy to have had spent some time with him; it was a date with her teenage crush she had only dreamt of.

she leaned in a bit to plant a kiss on his cheek but immediately retracted her steps. she was so tempted to kiss him on his lips too but for some unknown reason, she didn't. he did tell her upfront that he wanted her to stay for a while. even though she wanted to stay, she waved him bye and started climbing the steps of the bridge.

when she turned around after having reached the top, he was still there, waiting. their eyes met for the one last time; they smiled and blew each other a kiss. and then she left.

several minutes after, as he was sitting a bit dejected near the foot of the bridge staring at the passing crowd, he felt a double tap on his shoulder. he looked up only to have his lips kissed by hers.

perfect! their first-ever date was complete with their first-ever kiss.

no, they are no longer together now. but it's that one date their minds will never erase.

Vintage

"what is the most romantic 

thing he has done for you?"

"he writes lovely and sings beautifully for me" 

"and what is the most romantic 

thing you have done for him?"

"he can say better, but i try to write for him too"

"wow! it sounds so vintage"

*our love is vintage, i thought* 

Hopeless romantic

why do I feel he reads 

these secret pages 

of my mind sometimes

I may not say it aloud

but I feel his presence

leaving a trace once in a while

I think I'm just too 

intoxicated in his love 

to see him everywhere

with each passing day 

he's growing on me 

I'm not sure if he is aware

although I know that the moon 

of my earth won't go anywhere 

but once broken, usually fragile

my little heart is always scared

bad poetry, poor rhymes, I've become 

a hopeless romantic, please bear

The celestial view

while he lovingly counted 

the infinite stars 

resting on her body

she saw the celestial radiance

of a full moon, his eyes emitted

His magical touch

a gush of electricity

courses through my veins

when he holds my hand

I wonder what magic

his lips would conjure

Her pink moon

his cheek dimpled
when it was kissed
out of the blue

her heart fluttered
when she realised
how their intimacy grew

his blushed face would
look irresistibly charming
something she certainly knew

for they have fallen in love
that love which
is unbelievably true

Sweet nothings

if my silence

found its voice

it would drown you

in those thousand

sweet nothings

I never whispered

into your ears

Meena

her fingers bleed wise words

as her coffee brown skin 

glows in the setting sun  

she writes, inspires and fights, 

she's poetry soaked in inspiration

That gentle gaze

those gentle eyes are 

so comforting

I could build my 

home in them

That sea-kissed moment

their sea-kissed feet 
walked several miles

it was one of those moments when

their eyes exchanged 

similar smiles

her moon shone bright

and the breeze danced on his hair

that moment felt perfect for her

that moment felt just right

Finally washed ashore

an evening spent well with him

has left her craving for more

it feels like a ship long abandoned in the sea

has finally washed ashore

Lost

"I'm as lost in 

life as you are"

these words on a 

chilly January evening

mellowed down 

the chaos which was 

destroying my mind

You'll get me into trouble

his eyes reflected his calm soul

as the two perched beneath that orange glow 

she was a bit sleepy and so was he

thankfully he didn't notice the glances she stole

they were sitting amidst

plants dressed in fairy lights

his irresistible charm tugged her closer

she knew, maybe, this could be  

one of their romantic nights

but her hesitation to take that leap of faith stopped her

"you will get me into trouble," she said

thankfully he didn't dig further for the right answer

They find each other, maybe?

like a good story

finds its ideal reader

a good heart

finds its ideal lover

maybe?

Fireflies

kiss me while we lay 

beneath the starlit sky 

twinkling fireflies 

will guide you to my lips

he says, she says - II

I can't see a thing, she says 

I will show you the way, says he

I have grown old, she sighs

so have I, sighs he

where are my specs? asks she

on top of your head, says he

I still love your smile, she sings

I still love your voice, smiles he

he says, she says - I

I'm scared, she says 

me too, says he 

what if we die? she asks 

what if we live? asks he 

hold my hand, she says 

forever I'll, says he

Killer smile

if you disarm me 

with that dazzling smile

I will write you our love story

and, yes, it would be entirely your fault

My space

you're like

that space

I want

for myself

#chaos

In what world

sees chaos

I find my solace

A Warm Blanket

You radiate the warmth

of a much-needed blanket

on a ruthless, stormy night

Their story

their story 

has the potential 

to turn into an 

endless conversation

Moon in a pinstripe shirt

he looked like a moon 

in a white pinstripe shirt

his eyes literally twinkled 

when he smiled at me

and no, he is not a cliché

i'm talking about

no, he will never be one to me

Home

~ home ~

the one word

which comes

to my mind

when I see you

My dear muse

if I ever become 

a famous storyteller 

you would be that muse 

all would get to know of 

because I would breathe you 

in and out of my stories

Owned?

you are not merely 

a beautiful shadow 

but a body of substance 

you charm all with your words

I think you can own me with them

Like charges repel, or do they?

they are so much like each other
yet different in some way
he was gradually turning into her moon
towards which her wobbly earth wanted to sway

she thought for long to ask him a question
hesitated a lot as her mind was too frail

for she had those iron walls guarding her heart

which he had the potential to scale

"have you seen the law of electric charges 
– like charges repel – defy? like in real life?"

ask she did, but hoped for a bad answer
for she dreaded that every interaction 
might slowly bring her closer
not that she didn't want those 
lovely meetings to happen
just that she was too tired 
to again let her eyes dampen

as charming as he was, he gave her a charming answer

"yes, I have. only I didn't notice it earlier." 

never mind her guard, she thought 

her heart is where he'd began to sail
however, with the raging hurricane inside her 
she feared that he may not be able to find his way

although he is just like her 
and she is just like him
all she's secretly hoping is that
their slow journey towards each other 
might get a second wind

A Thousand Hurricanes

Image courtesy: Pinterest (Collage art and Julien Pacaud)

it feels like a thousand hurricanes

are wrapped inside my human skin

no wonder he said I destroyed him

Beauty

is it just me or 

hard working people 

naturally look attractive?

I Need A Moon

Image courtesy: Pinterest

my lifeless earth

needs a moon

are you listening?

Leap of faith

don't know what's more scary,

someone reading right through your

opaque, chaotic mind

or daring you to take

that dreaded leap of faith

The one

I could only see her

bespectacled eyes

as she was holding

che guevara's motorcycle diaries

right up to her nose.

that moment told me:

she's the one

Departure

Artwork by Edvard Munch (Image courtesy: Google + Artstack)

maybe some day

you'll completely forget me

maybe on that day

I'll die a little

but it's okay because

I was a jerk

in our good days

We

Picture courtesy: Pinterest

staring at a moonless sky

sometimes gives me the chills...

it feels like you've

suddenly disappeared

and

'we' no longer exist...

Stitch

I will be forever grateful

if you could use that

invisible thread

to stitch your soul to mine

Indifference

when a failing relationship

slips from your hands

and indifference

becomes your shield

your heartache cures temporarily

but the wound cuts deep

She

Image courtesy: Pinterest

The 18-year-old me used to be utterly embarrassed on being asked: Are you a lesbian? I used to look down, frown, and say a loud and clear NO.

Till today, I have no clue why people used to, or still occasionally do, ask me 'that' question. Is it the way I dress? Or maybe, I have a lot of gay and lesbian friends. Not that it bothers me today the way it did then.

Ten summers ago, that day when I was sitting alone reading in that girls’ common room, she came in with a warm sunny smile. I smiled too, it was not that warm but a hesitant one; I just wanted to be polite. I knew her secret and was sort of grossed out because the other day I had seen her kissing her friend, who was a girl, and tried not to freak out. 

To break that awkward ice, that cute girl began to talk. But that 18-year-old me was so uncomfortable that I decided to leave the room and began to walk. She held my hand and asked: What's the matter? I said I saw her kissing that friend of hers in that empty class and that incident is being shared around like a hushed, shushed banter. 

She asked me 'that' question and I frowned with anger. She smiled, requested me to sit beside, and lend her my ear. 

'What's wrong if I kissed a girl?' she asked. 

'But you are a girl! How can you be so cheap?' I barked.

'How can you be so cheap to think that falling in love with or being attracted to the same gender is wrong? What harm have I done to anyone? I have only loved her with all my heart. By calling it cheap you have insulted my love. How does any gender or living or dead thing matter at all when you are in love?' she asked.

These questions pierced through me like a set loose arrow hits its target, those beautiful almond eyes which showed me my shallowness, I swear I will never forget.

Her eyes welled up but they had an inquiring gaze. I felt embarrassed and sad for wiping that vibrant smile off her face. I apologised genuinely and asked her to narrate to me her story. That 19-year-old revealed her scars to me, details of which were very gory. 

Molested by her uncle as a child, rejected by her parents for being 'abnormal', she then stayed as a tenant with her aunt who at least treated her as 'normal'. 

I truly felt bad for her and glad at the same time, for that hour-long chat with her broadened the narrow passages of my mind. I realised how wrong I was in judging someone so quickly and I swore to myself that I shall never frown again for being asked 'that' question and diss anyone so briskly. 

Now, ten summers later other questions bother me: Why is that we still wear these 'samaaj-kya-kahega' glasses in certain blurry situations to see? Why is judging someone so easy and accepting someone so hard? No matter which century we enter, will LGBT activists or for that matter feminists or humanists, ever let down their guard?

Why is homosexuality a crime in India and heterosexuality isn't? At least I had her to brighten a few dark corners of my mind, apparently the Supreme Court didn't. 

... Apparently, the Supreme Court didn't.

The same also appeared here. =)