For the baby

Stones, that fly thick and far
like poisoned arrows in some war
A million rocks to wallop the foe
no kind souls to hear the woe

Stones in drizzle, stones in snow
pale evil mist on each little bough
Noise in alleys, tumult in the village
Stones to scare, stones to pillage

Double edged swords, our bold stones
Beneath all broil the city still moans
Stones that hurt, stones that maim
Fanfaronade without any shame

Slings and canon to pluck the stone
old lake shore, a virgin battle zone
That random shot in some head
aimless bricks and more of red

Rock pigeons on Hazratbal dome
Tiny nests in chimneys, back home
covered in some dark foggy soot
shaken by endless funereal hoot

Princes’ waltz and paupers die
Are peace pastures in the nigh?
Shall we always torch our shawls?
Let's throw some scooped snow balls

Sameer

Love and alarm clocks

Love is setting up early alarms
and melting into bracing arms
Little strokes on the hand
saving a solitary hair strand

Sound of the autumn rain
brings back the images again
Million maddening mysteries to crack
and only your memories to stack

Love is waking up at ungodly hour
to check on the mystic flower
to look at the alarm clock
answer heart's tender knock

Sameer

Why is the dew roseate this morning?

Why is the dew roseate this morning?
Why is this frenzy without a warning?
What are those forms near the brook?
Why are they clubbing us with shepherd’s crook?
***
Why does the orchard smell of hurt?
Why is the father without his shirt?
Why is the village wailing in a distance?
Why does the heart yearn for resistance?
***
How did the country flowers die?
How was this lad hit in the eye?
What are musketeers planning to do?
Why is an old man refusing to move?
***
Who put fetters in my valley?
Why aren’t men allowed to rally?
Have our tears also been banned?
Why should our lament always stay canned?
***
Why did the Saffron turn so white?
Why are the alleys startlingly quiet?
Why is the Jhelum without a ripple?
Are we a country on the tipple?

Sameer

When I am dead

[Originally jotted in the year 2000]

When I am dead, my boy
sing no sad songs for me
When my souls blows away
etch no epitaphs for me
When I am put to rest
hold no hands for me
When my echoes wear out
read no praises for me
When the lights go off
light no candles for me
When my laughter peters out
cry no tears for me
When the gusts go strong
breathe no sighs for me
When the spring breaks again, my boy
Watch me in the cowslips, by my grave

Sameer

Of pals

Originally written on June 24, 1999

The voice smells of wine
such are old friends of mine
some knocks stir lifelong joys
you recall the broken toys
You miss those loving times
The silly school rhymes
Oddity, sleep, familiar paths
You recollect the impish baths

Sameer

Catechism at 21

First written on Sunday, June 10, 2001

My little vale, why do you cry?
why do your airs sigh?
What ails your mountains?
What shut your fountains?
How did your blossoms cease?
What happened to the evening breeze?
Who set your shrines aglow?
And why doesn't the Jhelum flow?
Where did our neighbors go?
And why could we not know?
Who is that khaki scarecrow?
And why do the winds not blow?
Those joyful sweet songs
Are they replaced by our wrongs?
Our warm nuptial surges
replaced by sad dirges
Shall cool zephyrs kiss us again?
Will groovy buds adorn us again?

Sameer
[First written 9 years back, in the midst of mindless violence in Kashmir]

I wish I had met you before

I wish I had met you before
to know what love is like
to learn to love with eyes
to fathom the meaning of silence

I wish I had met you before
to hold onto your soul
to shut you from the hurt
to clutch your hand

I wish I had met you before
to cover you in those storms
to keep you forever warm
to hear your heart's song

I wish I had met you before
to love you like a madman
to hold you in my arms
to never let you go

I wish I had met you before
to make you feel safe
to brush your tear away
to never let you fall

I wish I had met you before
to walk you into eventides
to talk an ancient talk to you
to count the myraid stars, with you.

Sameer