It wasn't so far back,
When 'together' we wove dreams
and patterend them into reality

O, those days of penniless pockets
but Love's overflowing gaze.
Piece by piece building our nest
Hoping someday for a golden harvest.

Sure, like all, I too had dreams
But for Love's sake waved them adieu.
Only one dream...
to make my beloved's dreams all come true.

The golden harvest came!
The penniless pockets now jingled with music!
the nest clothed in fine fabric!

I waited for the same loving gaze
I waited and waited,
Alas!
It was lost in a maze...

Sonia Mehta

रेत पे लिखी कुछ कहानियां,
कुछ जानियां, और कुछ अंजानियां

कहीं कुचला हुआ गुलाब, ठुकराई मोहब्बत की दास्तानियां
कहीं नन्हीं उँगलियों से बनी ख्वाबों की बुनवाईयां
कहीं हाथों में हाथ लिए प्रेमियों की दास्तानियां
और कहीं बिछड़े हुए हमसफ़र के क़दमों की निशानियां

इन लहरों में छुपी ज़िन्दगी की गहराईयां
यही तो है उगते डूबते सूरज की परछाईयाँ
इसमे दफ़्न हैं कितने राज़ और कितनी पहेलियाँ
बहुत दिलचस्प क़िताब है ये मौजों की रवानियाँ

कभी आघोश में ले कभी किनारा कर दे, ऐसी इसकी मनमानियां
यह आती जाती लहरें हैं या गीतों की शहनाईयां
कुछ तो रेत में बिखर गयीं, और कुछ अब भी याद हैं मुह ज़ूबानीयां

यूँ तो घंटों बैठ में तुझे देखती रहूं बिन पलक झपकाईयां
तू मरहम ए ज़ख्म भी है और सुक़ून ए दिल भी है रूहानियाँ
तेरा असर भी अजीब है न जानिया
कभी हरक़तें कराये बचकानियां
और कभी मंज़र संजीदा करे अश्कानियां

तेरी फ़ितरत न समझ पाया कोई,यही तो हैं परेशानिया
और जिसने बूझ ली तेरी आनीजानियां
उसपे हैं तेरी मेहरबानियां
रेत पे लिखी कुछ कहानियां
कुछ जानियां और कुछ अंजानियां

सोनिया मेहता

After 30 years of her having gone, they were finally set free,
As I hesitatingly pulled the drawer, they thankfully smiled at me.
Some translucent, some opaque, some so pale,
Some fluorescent, some damaged, some so frail.
The beautiful glass bangles that had adorned my mother's wrists,
Symphonically synchronising with her graceful turns and twists.
As I collected the myriad broken pieces to throw away,
A sigh escaped my lips and tears got in the way.

Lazily twirling between my fingers, this long cylindrical toy,
Watching the broken bangles choreograph themselves was such joy!
Yes, it was a kaleidoscope, you guessed it right!
Each crushed particle finding a new identity and might.
Undeterred and unyielding, transforming itself with delight.

We are all different Kaleidoscopes, aren't we?
We all have mangled fragments inside us, don't we?
A bruised heart, a shattered dream,
An aching loss, a suppressed scream.
And yet all these ruptured bits make us who we are
Constellations form with membership of every star.
Each wobbly, brittle part of you is not to be an agonising scar.
But a reminder of the courageous journey you traversed so far.
So, shake away the dust, the dullness, the pain,
Each storm you weathered shall not go in vain.
You are an inspiration to many, an uplifting harbinger of hope.
You are not one broken piece but the whole glittering Kaleidoscope.

Sonia Mehta