Priti Talkies

  Photo credits  @VeraNewsib THE PROMISE  To those who came before us To all those who will come after To those who treaded this sacred path To those who will turn the chapter To those whose feet were sunburnt To those who pounded the trail To those who cleared the woods for us To those who fought and prevailed To those who foreshadowed the light To those who carved the pristine way To those we owe a solemn promise That we'll never fritter freedom away                                           - Priti Singh

वो बचपन की गली वो ईंटों से बिछा हुआ लाल रस्ता एक साइकल पे लदा कैन्वस का बस्ता अंगीठियों से उठता कोयले का धुआँ पीपल के नीचे वो छोटा सा कुआँ रुई की धुनाई की वो टन-टन आवाज़ रेडियो पर छिड़ता कोई फ़िल्मी साज़ वो हर एक लम्हा , आज भी आबाद है वो बचपन की गली , मुझे अब भी याद है II वो छतों से उड़तीं पतंगें हज़ार वो खिलोनों के ठेले , वो चलते बाज़ार वो लट्टू , वो कंचे , वो गिल्ली और डंडा वो मक्खन सफ़ेद , डबल रोटी और अंडा वो चिट्ठी के डिब्बे और डाकिये की घंटी वो पड़ोसी का बेटा और पतली सी संटी वो लड़का , अफ़सोस , आज भी बर्बाद है वो बचपन की गली , मुझे अब भी याद है II पुराने कपड़ों से होता बर्तन का व्यापार वो मूँगदाल की बड़ियाँ , वो पापड़ अचार एक काला सा फ़ोन , जो सबका था यार वो ट्रंक कौल के दिन और बुलावे हज़ार हम लोग , रामायण ,  नुक्कड , चित्रहार जब चैनल था एक , एकजुट परिवार वो दिन वापस आएँ , बस यही फ़रियाद है वो बचपन की गली , मुझे अब भी याद है II चारपाइयों पे रोज़ लगती मच्छरदानी उन सूती महलों में नानी की ...

THE SEA SEES ME   As I sit by the shore Waves come, waves go Like a rhythmic pulse They heave and convulse As a tangerine sun Completes a home run And begins its descent Looking tired and spent Into the calm embrace Of a slumbering sea That I see! A warmth engulfs Relaxing my pulse While the saline scent In the breeze present Leaves a hint on my lips As some cargo ships Hit the line of horizon In tandem with the sun Retiring for the day Painting everything grey Like a perfect screenplay! I sigh in wonderment At this diurnal event That I’ve seen so often Yet my eyes soften As I rise to my feet Dusting sand from my pleats And see faceless silhouettes Float past as vignettes A seagull follows My footprints hollow And a wave beckons! I stop and I see The cradling of the sea Tumultuous yet calm A sublime scenic balm Mirror to my soul Shattered, yet whole Almost say to me There’s no master ...

LIFE HEAVES     Day breaks Night falls The circadian rhythm Of life calls In autopilot we live Constantly take Nothing to give But what lifts the gloom Is to see a flower In autumn b loom Pushing through dry leaves As if to say Life still heaves                    - Priti Singh 

Photo credits  @ nate_dumlao BETWEEN FAITH AND FEAR     God, where are you? Ever since I first felt fear At the end of each school term I affirm Or the death of someone dear I’ve been looking for you For a sign or a clue In a street child’s smile Or the pristine morning dew I’ve looked everywhere From images to idols And even in thin air Seeking answers And solace too Often wondering Just where are you? I’ve prayed on my beside As a child dewy eyed   With knees bent in orison    And tightly clasped hands Holding on to the strands Of my wishes and  whims In imitation o f what We saw in films Back in the day Stories as soft as soufflé Aerated w ith magic and wonder In which Th rough  lightning and thunder A fairy would manifest Cuddly and warm in the breast Like Grandma, she was Crinkly and old But with a heart of gold And she'd  wave her magical wand And resp...

--> HUES OF LIFE One fine noon, I was asked to define Of all the colours, I had seen till my prime Which one hue, was I most akin to Was it red, pink or green; was it ochre or blue? The confab and query seemed a bit infantile But I paused and pondered, t hen answered with a smile. When my muscles were stronger and mind more agile I could climb every tree and run a fast mile Trudge through deserts and swim in deep seas   Fly like a butterfly and sting like a bee The colour of my life was a healthy bright pink And   from that fountain of youth  I  thought,  I'd forever drink. But the fountain ran dry and life went awry Problems came knocking, friends said goodbye Joy was elusive and played hide n seek Gloom all pervasive, jobs mostly bleak The sun still rose daily, but never for me So pink turned to blue and life looked dreary. I made peace with blue and embraced my new life But fate foile...