Drunk Emotions

 What's so common?

In different emotions

They go overwhelming

It may be pain, suffering

It may be affection

It may be frustration

It may be hate or envy

It may be love or bigotry

When they go gigantic

You are nothing

but emotional lunatic

When emotions are loud

You enter the dark cloud

Where you are lost

And can't be found

Take away love 

from the crowd of

drunk emotions

Love is an expression

Expression of your being

And not an emotion

Which keeps changing

Love is not overwhelming

It is clear and healing

Emotions can't give

you a granite soul

It's not permanent

Like a mole

In the 

jungle of emotions

You are

a peice of dead wood

moving in the stream

here and there

And not knowing why

And not knowing where

Emotions-

They make you blind

Exactly like Alcohol

They make you lost

They make you fall.

Take away love 

from the crowd of

drunk emotions

Before it looses

It's essence.

© Priya Jain

क्यों मरे मरे जीते हो?

 

क्यूं मरे मरे जीते हो?

एक दिन गुलाब हो कर देखो

तुम तो घास के फूल हो

दीवार की ओट में 

ईटों में दबे हुए

कई तूफ़ान आये

चोट ना दे पाए

ईटों की आड़ है

सूरज सता ना पाए

ईटों की आड़ है

वर्षा गिरा ना पाए

ज़मीन की आड़ है

पास बैठे गुलाब को देखो

जब तूफ़ान आए

जड़ें उखड़ी उखड़ी हो जाएं

जब भी फूल खिले

पूरा खिल भी ना पाए

कोई ना कोई उसे तोड़ जाए

जब वर्षा आए

उसकी पंखुड़ियां बिखर कर

ज़मीन पर गिर जाएं

क्यूं मरे मरे जीते हो?

एक दिन गुलाब हो कर देखो

बहुत दिन सुरक्षा में रह लिए

बहुत दिन हुए झंझट लिए 

पास-पड़ोस के फूल बोल पड़े,

"ये एक पागलपन है

जातिगत अनुभव कहता है

हम जहां हैं, बड़े मजे में हैं ।"

गुलाब बोला, "पर क्या कभी 

सूरज से बात कर पाओगे

 कभी तूफानों से लड़ पाओगे

 कभी वर्षा झेल पाओगे?"

 पास-पड़ोस के फूल फ़िर बोल पड़े,

 "पागल, जरूरत क्या है? 

 ईंट की आड़ में आराम है

  न धूप हमें सताती

  न बरसा हमें सताती

  न तूफान हमें छू सकता।"

लेकिन,

उसने किसी की ना सुनी

और एक दिन गुलाब बन गई

सुबह से ही मुसीबतें शुरु हो गयी

जोर की आंधियां चलीं, 

प्राण का रोआं-रोआं कांप गया,

 जड़े उखड़ने लगीं

दोपहर होते-होते सूरज तेज हुआ

फूल तो खिला, लेकिन कुम्हलाने लगा

वर्षा आई, पंखुड़िया नीचे गिरने लगीं

फिर तो इतने जोर की वर्षा आई 

कि सांझ होते-होते जड़े उखड़ गई 

और फूलों ने उससे कहा, 

"पागल, हमने पहले ही कहा था

व्यर्थ अपनी जिंदगी गंवाई

अपने हाथों मुश्किलें ले आयीं

हमारी पुरानी सुविधा थी, 

माना कि पुरानी मुश्किलें थीं, 

लेकिन सब आदी था,

परिचित था।"

मरते हुए गुलाब  ने कहा,

"नासमझो, मैं तुमसे यही कहूंगी

कि जिंदगी भर ईंट की आड़ में 

छिपे हुए घास का फूल होने से 

चौबीस घंटे के लिए फूल हो जाना 

बहुत आनंदपूर्ण है

मैंने अपनी आत्मा पा ली

मैं तूफानों से लड़ ली

सूरज से मुलाक़ात की

मैं हवाओं से जूझ ली

मैं ऐसे ही नहीं मर रही हूं

 मैं जी कर मर रही हूं

 और

 तुम मरे हुए जी रहे हो।"

क्यूं मरे मरे जीते हो?

एक दिन गुलाब होकर देखो

© प्रिया जैन

Pink Feather

 When all doors are locked

and my mind is blocked

The Morning air

 feels my hair

One little cloud

Away from the crowd

in this weather

floats like a pink feather

from gigantic flamingo

And

my soul peeks through

the glass window

To find

The red rim of the Sun

pushing itself over the clouds

Just like a sweater, 

my grandmother has spun

Sun shines on every one

Not leaving any one

Sun is on a strange purpose

Than all of us

I feel low on emotions

with my petty ambitions

I feel so small

with strivings so tall

in the grand presence

of the elemental forces

of the Nature that reinforces

my belief in the Balance

When all doors are locked

and my mind is blocked

The Morning air

 feels my hair

One little cloud

Away from the crowd

in this weather

floats like a pink feather

from gigantic flamingo

And

my soul peeks through

the glass window

© Priya Jain

Soldiers!

 I don't want

to be an emperor

I don't want

 to rule or conquer

I want to 

help everyone

Be it Hindu, Muslim,

Sikh or Christian

Be it black, brown,

gay or lesbian

We, humans want 

to help eachother

We want to live by 

eachother's ecstasy

And not to 

eachother's misery

We don't want to 

hate or despise anyone

In this world, 

there is room for everyone

Good earth is rich and 

provide for everyone

Way of life is free, 

beautiful and easy

But we have lost

the way, simply

Greed has poisoned

men's souls

Just like

To my white shirt, bleach

has given many holes

Greed has barricaded

 the world with hate

Goose stepped us 

into misery and bloodshed

We have developed speed

But

We have shut ourselves in

to scream and bleed

Machinery that gives

us abundance

has left us in want 

and absence

Our knowledge has 

made us cynical

Our cleverness has

made  us unkind

and inhospitable

More than machinery, 

we need humanity

More than cleverness, 

we need kindness 

and gentleness

Airplanes have 

brought us closer

These inventions

have a nature 

that cries out for

the men's goodness

for the men's oneness

for the universal brotherhood

for the universal humanhood

Even now

my voice is reaching

 millions of despairing

 men and women, 

 victims of a system 

 that makes men torture 

 and imprison innocent 

 To those who are listening

 Get away from despairing

misery that is now upon us

is the passing of greed

And is dangerous

Is the men's bitterness

who fear the way of

human progress

Hate of men will fly

away in the black sky

Dictator will die

And the power

they took from us

Will return to us

Soldiers don't give

Yourselves to the brutes

Who despise you

who enslave you; 

who regiment you

who tell you what to do,

what to think

and what to feel! 

Who drill you, 

diet you, 

treat you like cattle(tethered) 

use you as cannon fodder

 Don't give yourselves 

 to these unnatural men 

 with machine minds

 and machine hearts! 

 You are not machines 

 that rattle

 you are not cattle

 you are men! 

 a gentlemen

 You have the love

 of humanity

 And your hearts

 are not dirty

 You don't hate! 

 Only the unloved hate; 

  the unloved 

  and the unnatural. 

    

Soldiers! Don't fight for slavery! 

Fight for liberty! 

 You, the people, 

 have the power, 

 the power to create

 machines that are

 Remorseless

 You have the power

 to create the happiness! 

  

You, the people, 

have the power

to make this life

free and beautiful, 

to make this life 

adventure so wonderful

Then 

in the name of democracy, 

let us use that power

Let us all unite

Let us fight for a new world, 

a decent world 

that will give

men a chance to work,

 youth a future 

 and old age a security

   

Let us fight

 to free the world! 

 To do away 

 with national barriers! 

 To do away with greed, 

 with hate carriers!

 Let us fight for a world 

 of reason, 

 a world where science 

 and progress will lead

  to all men's happiness

  to the colorful seasons

  Soldiers, 

  in the name of democracy, 

  in the name of liberty

  let us all unite

  let us spread the light

  let us do the right

© Priya Jain

I AM

 Babies are soft and velvety

Tender, fragile and silky

Rose leaf softness as such

invites a finger's touch 

But

when you live with them

and dearly love them

You feel

Softness is going inward

Round cheeked flesh

wobbly as custard

The boneless splay

of the tiny hands

Admiring them whole day

Joints are melted rubber

Cuteness they spread

even when they slobber

And 

when you kiss them hard

as an evidence

of loving their existence

Your lips sink down

And 

Seem to never find bone

Holding them against you

They melt and mould, too

As though any instant

They will flow into 

your body again

But from the very beginning

Each child carries

a streak of steel within

And that very thing

says, " I am"

And that's where

It all begins

In the second year

Bones get harder

Child stands upright

Skull grows solid and wide

Like a helmet

protecting the softness within

And " I am" grows too

And that's the very origin

Looking at them

You can almost see 

Like a heartwood, so sturdy

Through the translucent flesh

You can see the glowing flash

Facial bones emerge at six

At seven, soul gets fixed

Process of encapsulation

Reaches its elevation

In the glossy shell of adolescence

Where we loose our essence

Now all the softness is invisible

under the nacreous layers

of personalities, that are multiple

We develop many faces

To safeguard us from messes

In the next years

Hardening spreads from center

As one finds and fixes

Facets of the soul, the childish

Until "I am" is set

Detailed and delicate

As an insect in amber

As a butterfly in colour

© Priya Jain

You are psuedo

 You are psuedo

You know that too

You are masked

In front of the world

You are artificial

Why not an individual?

Your soul gets heavy

under the hefty society

Break those shackles

To make your soul chuckle

Speak up that 

You are psuedo

Speak up that

You like raw one

over the filtered one

Not just the coffee

Oh stop me

I wanted to say body

I wanted to say identity

Just get up 

Speak up

Open up

Say everything

Whatever inside,

is building

The paths you follow

are your dreams 

and not hollow

Embrace them

Tell them

Who you are

and that

You own your scar

You own your guilt

You own your shit

You own your fears

You own your tears

You are unique

There are no limits

for you to seek

You are the sky

and not the lie

You are wave

Come out of cave

You are matchless

You are brightness

You are a thought

Open that knot

You are 

what you wish for

You are

what you wish for

© Priya Jain

WE ALL ARE SAME

We all are caught up in labels, names, skin color and religion. But why?

When you hate something
That something
resides in you
When you take something,
for granted
That something
is a blessing for you
When you fear something
That something
 is a friend for you
When you want something
That something
 is a part of you
When you own something
That something
Never defines you

When you need something
That something
Is around you
When you wish something
That something
Is on its way to you
When you resist something
That something
Will stick around you
When you let go of something
That something
Will stay if it is supposed to

Whenever you bless others
You bless yourself
Whenever you seek forgiveness
You should forgive yourself
Whenever you blame others
You loose your power
Whenever you think you can
You get back your power
Whenever you cry
You are one step closer to joy


I see everyone as my reflection
Everyone I know mirrors me
Everyone wants to be happy
Let us all embrace
Darkness and sadness
Anger and fear
Jealousy and envy
Anger at its core
Is a request for care
Hate at its core
Is a request for love
We all are same
And that's the game
No one wants to
feel the pain
Everyone needs
love to remain

© Priya Jain

Happy Mother's Day

From the moment
I entered this
unexplored world,
my Maa has had my back
Even in her womb
 where I was curled
She is my absolute
everything
She is the first one I call
When something wrong
is happening
She is the first one
I remember
When I see something
Spectacular


She was there
when I was a rebellious teen
and pushed her away
 and is still here now that
 I’m thirty and needs her say
I can call her
thirteen times a day
if I am in trouble
she tells me your troubles
are so small
 in such a big world

I honestly couldn’t have
 asked for a better woman
 to be my mother
  She is my teacher,
  my comforter,
  my best friend
  my never ending end
 

She has stood by me
through stupid boys,
Difficult choice
late night study sessions,
Difficult situations
what setting
the washing machine
should be on
or how to recognise a con
 or how to wash
 the oil stain
 Or how to do the perfect
 Bargain
 Through every smile
 every stress-induced time,
 tear-filled event
 crazy moment,
  she’s been there
 She's been my air

She knows exactly
how I think
 and
how deeply I feel things
 Without a doubt,
 she is my rock
 She is my scout
 I would be lost
 without this host
 this beautiful angel
 Without her
 This world would
 Be a stranger
She carries me
when I am weak,
picks me up when I fail,
 and rejoices with me
 when I succeed.

She has taught me
that my ponytails
don’t have to be
bump-free
She allowed me,
When I don't feel right
To raise my voice
And to disagree
 She has taught me
 how to love others
 over self but also
 how to stand up
  for myself.


Everything that I am
 and hope to be
 I owe to my mother
 I wouldn’t be half
  of what I am today
  Without her
  Without her guidance
  Without her presence

© Priya Jain

WHAT POETRY DOES???

When he asked me, What poetry does???



What Poetry does?

When it lands
At your ear drum
Sometimes
It changes your
Emotional
Equilibrium
Sometimes
It gets you out
Of doldrum

Sometimes
It plays a chord
In your heart
Which was
Getting rusted
Sometimes
It blooms a thought
In you
Which was
getting dusted

Sometimes
It ignites
Flickering hope
In your entity
Sometimes
It breaks that rope
In which you
Tied your body


Sometimes
It gives you
A lost purpose
To live
Sometimes
It leaves you
To pieces
Sometimes
It brings
The old memories
 Back with the wind
 Sometimes
 It pulls away
 The negativity
 Which was pinned
 in you for a while
 Sometimes
 It forces  you
 To walk a mile
 In someone's shoes

Sometimes
It inspires you
To fulfill your
Broken dream
Sometimes
It's an urge,
It's a silent
Scream

Sometimes
It creates magic
On now
 parched paper
 Sometimes
 It becomes tragic
 When it is lost
 In time and
 Becomes a vapor


Sometimes
It brings revolution
And re establishes
Faith in human
Spritual evolution
Sometimes
It's just a rebellion
Which brings you
Out of confusion
And delusion


Poetry instills
Belief in
Humanity
Rationality
Conviction
Devotion
Inner beauty
And
Human integrity


Now you know, what it does, what it can do, what it has always done and what it will keep doing?

© Priya Jain

MAHARAJA IT IS

When I stepped
out in uniform,
Look on their faces
wasn't warm
I expected
atleast a smile
But I was judged
As if I was facing
the trial
Give me a nod
Of gratitude
Don't give me an ode
But atleast a salute

Am I asking for too much?
Am I not your crutch?


I reached my
workplace
There was no
 human interface
 It was empty
 And haunted
 Something has
 left me
 Helpless and
 daunted


Security staff
Loaders
Medical officers
And all
the flight crew
All are feeling
Low and blue
But for you
They are on duty
Without caring
About their body
Give us a nod
Of gratitude
Don't give us an ode
But atleast a salute

Are we asking for too much?
Are we not your crutch?

We operate
relief flights
To provide
medical supplies
Our families
Are waiting eagerly
We are keeping
humanity
above our safety
We are Corona
Warriors
Warrior,
That has become
Our behaviour

Who has always
Helped our Nation?
Who has strong
Foundation?
Who did airlifting of
Indians from Kuwait?
Who did operation raahat?
Who has always been a
Warrior?
Who is the epitome of
Kind behaviour?

Maharaja it was
Maharaja it is
Maharaja it will be

Give us  a nod
Of gratitude
Don't give us an ode
But atleast a salute

Are we asking for too much?
Are we not your crutch?

©Priya Jain

IT'S FINE

It's fine to break up
It's fine to fall and get up
It's fine to cry aloud
It's fine to shy away
And back out
It's fine to try and fail
Again and again
It's fine to love
And not get it back
It's fine if you follow
one way track
It's fine to be childish
And it's fine to not always
accomplish

Everything is fine
Until you try
Until you see the sky
Until you not loose hope
Until you not stop believing
in your scope
Until you have the zeal
Until you keep rotating
in the great wheel
Until you not stop
believing in destiny
Until your efforts
are the testimony
of your devotion
and your determination
© Priya Jain

कुछ कहना था

कुछ कहना था
बस कह ना सकी
फुट पड़ा है
शब्दों का ज्वालामुखी
बस मैं सह ना सकी

यह जग है झूठा
मेरा गम है सांचा
मरीचिका सी है
रिश्तों की डोरी
तुम्हारी मेरी

कूटनीति खा गई
मेरे अपनों को
और मैं बेबस
लाचार, मूक सी
कहीं खो गई

दूर बैठे समुंदर में
भी तूफान है
रैना कली है
तारे रूठे बैठे है
आसमान खाली है

जो खिड़कियां खुली,
आज़ाद थी
आज घुटन में बंद हो
गई है
सांस मेरी हैरान है
और मन परेशान है

क्या सब बोल दूं?
क्या बोल दूं
तुम सब हो पाखंडी
तुम सब हो रूढ़िवादी
और
मेरी आवश्यकता है
केवल आज़ादी?

क्या मेरा सन्नाटा
क्या मेरी चुप्पी भी है
एक मुखौटा?
क्या मेरे शब्दों
की आज़ादी
होगी मेरी बेक़द्री?
या
खोल देगी सालों
से बंद वो काल कोठरी?

कुछ कहना था
बस कह ना सकी
फूट पड़ा है
शब्दों का ज्वालामुखी
बस मैं सह ना सकी
बस मैं सह ना सकी

© प्रिया जैन

MAHAVIRA

When goodness happens, nature appreciate you by showering blossoms, rain drops, dews under your feet, breeze in your face, spring and in many other ways. Existence celebrate your goodness. ( MAHAVIRA)

Mahavira


Blossoms,
They go on showering
They keep on blessing
They keep on celebrating
For all the Mahaviras
That have happened
For all the Mahaviras
That are happening
For all the Mahaviras
That will happen

We all have Mahavira
Lying deep inside us
Recognise him
He is ingenious
He is righteous
And blossoms
They will shower on you
They will bless you
Existence will celebrate you

© Priya Jain

True Love

If there is something
called love that too
the one which is true
I have cracked the code
I never knew
Until you entered
Into my abode

I have been encountered
By love thrice
But this time it is unlike
My previous ones
Were beautiful delusions
to my utter surprise

Here I am not first
But willfully second
In the pool of boundness
I have submersed,
I reckoned
Here I am simply lost
And you are the foremost

Here I am a creator
Here Almighty
Makes me a maker
Here in my dreams,too
I care about you
I adore you
Here you are in the offing
And I am full of beans


Backbone that groans
Running hormones
Bloating and constipation
Frequent urination
Food aversions
Nasal congestion
Tender, swollen breasts
Frequent moodiness
Painful cramps
It gonna take time
For me to revamp


This is how, I am prepared
For your arrival
For the carnival
I feel helpless at times
My freedom redefines
I may feel exasperated
But I never lamented


I used to think
Flying planes was
The most empowering thing
But carrying you
Made me rethink
You have given me
 nerves of steel
 And wings of zeal

Sometimes I am amused
And totally confused
Am I taking care of you?
Or
 Is it you who keep
 giving me a clue?
When to take
meal and medicine?
And what is good
For my hemoglobin?

When I eat
You are served
Is there any love
That can be above?
When my heart beats
You respond
By beating yours twice
I behold your heart
Into mine
Is there anything
More divine?

Being controlled
Was a bad feeling
It was never appealing
Now
I will control you
And will never let you
Walk the fallacious paths
I walked too.
Finally I know
What true love is
It is you in me
It is you from me
It is you and me

© Priya Jain

HANGING IN BETWEEN

HANGING IN BETWEEN SOCIAL AND HUMAN

Hanging in between social and human
Why we have to embrace only one?
I am the segment of society
Yet I don’t get liberty
People have storms building in
For the contentment I am achieving
Why can’t they be a part of merry making?
Why are they freaking and fretting?

Hanging in between social and human
Why we have to embrace only one?
If I opt for being human
Community can’t let it happen
If I try to be social
My psyche doesn’t give me approval
Feeling suffocated why I am a human?
Or should I say why I am an Indian woman?

Hanging in between social and human
Why we have to embrace only one?
I am the helpless fish
Have to capitulate to your wish
I am the epitome of sacrifice
Lord please plant the seeds of peace
I have to hoodwink my conscience
To dwell on the social lines

© Priya Jain

I DON'T WAIT

I dont wait for anything any longer
The falls (of tears) which used to flow…
 flow no longer
I dont wait for anything any longer

In the village of eyes,
Dreams used to come in the nights,
Which flowed when touched,
Which spoke when spoken to
But how can one trust flowing dreams
I don’t wait for anything any longer

The days when you were here,
My eyes had sunshine
Now there are cobwebs everywhere,
Even they are going to leave me soon
The soothingness after pain t
hat used to be there…
is there no longer
I don’t wait for anything any longer
The falls which used to flow…
flow no longer
I don’t wait for anything any longer

© Priya Jain

कहीं तुम में मैं तो नहीं???

तेरा लिखा
मैंने पढ़ा
मानो लगा,
मेरे लिए ही लिखा हो

तेरा कहा
मैंने सुना
ऐसा लगा
मुझसे ही कहा हो

वो आवाज़ में खनक
वो नाक से खिसकती ऐनक
वो सस्वरपाठ में ठहेराव
वो ख़यालो का बहाव

वो शब्दों का चयन
वो गहन लेखन
वो सांसों की ध्वनी
वो चेहरे की रोशनी

वो दिल में उमड़े अरमान
वो चमकता अभिमान
वो थोड़ी सी हिचकिचाहट
वो कविता की सजावट


वो हज़ारों खव्याहिशें
वो अनकहीं रंजिशें
सब में मैंने खुद को पाया
सब में मैंने खुद को पाया

कहीं तुम में मैं तो नहीं?
वो हर शक़्स,
जिसने तुम्हे पढ़ा
क्या यही पूछता है,
कहीं तुम में मैं तो नहीं?

© प्रिया जैन

I am at the Horizon

I am at the horizon
Between
The mess buzzing
On our terrene
And
The divinity ringing
In the sky, serene

Loud traffic horns
Women mourns
People bitching
Morals hitching
Hypocrisy is King
Innocence is dying
Communal wars
Permanent scars
Financial victory
Medical mystery
Survival game
Disloyalty shame
I am standing
On the shore
Are you struck
In the streets of war?

Azure divine sky
Birds  in unity
Keep flying high
Sky is the background
To everyone around
When it rains
It screams existence
When the sun shines
Persistence it defines
I am holding onto
One side of Rainbow
Is someone holding
The other side too?

I am at the horizon
Between
The mess buzzing
On our terrene
And
The divinity ringing
In the sky, serene

© Priya Jain

Kahan hu main???

  कहाँ  हूँ मैं ?

इक दबी चीख में
या
दूसरों की सीख में
हँसी  के मुखौटे के पीछे
या
अश्क़ों  के समुद्र के नीचे

 कहाँ  हूँ मैं ?

कुछ अल्फ़ाज़ों  में मेरे
या
बद गुमानों में तेरे
गहरी  ख़ामोशियों  में मेरी
या
चुपके लिखी नज़्मों  में मेरी

लगती हैं फाँसी
सिर्फ़ इक जिस्म को
इरादों को फांसी
लगाए है कौन?

 मैं हूँ

उज्लत में मेरी
फ़ुर्सत में मेरी
बग़ावत में मेरी
आदमियत में मेरी

मैं हूँ

नादान परिंदों में
तितलियों के रंगों में
खुले आकाश में
 बहते आबशारों  में

मैं हूँ
हां मैं हूँ।


© प्रिया जैन