by Kamlesh Yadav

१. अब मैं मन का करतीं हुँ

मैं छोटी छोटी बातों से यूँ ही ख़ुश होज़ाती हुँ,

और उससे भी छोटी छोटी बातों सेतुनक जाती हुँ।
रात में जो तारा देखा था, उसे हीदिन में ढूँढतीं हुँ,

नींद में ख़्वाब नहीं आते,मैं दिन मेंख़्वाब बुनती हुँ।
कभी कुछ पढ़तीं हुँ, कुछ यूँ ही गढ़तींरहतीं हुँ,

कोई सुने ना सुने, मैं अपनी हीकहानी कहतीं हुँ।
सब कहते हैं, मैं कुछ नहीं करतीं हुँ,

हाँ, क्यूँकि अब मैं मन का करतींहुँ।।

२. कुछ बचा है हमारे बीच

सबकुछ ख़त्म नहीं हो गया है,

कुछ न कुछ बचा है हमारे बीच।
बचे है साझे की कुछ स्मृतियाँ,

जो हमें मिला है, अपने जीवन कीनिधि से ब्याज सरीखा।
बची है ज़रा सी आशा,

जो हमें चुक जाने पर भी, रिक्त नहींहोने देगी उम्रभर,
बची है ज़रा सी प्रार्थना,

जो हमारे न होने पर भी होगी तारोंकी तरह।
नहीं, सबकुछ ख़त्म नहीं हो गया है,

अभी, कुछ न कुछ बचा है हमारेबीच।।

By Saurabh Manchanda 

1. Wakeup Call

Remnants of shattered dreams
Floating in the air
In every frame soul screams
Life’s been unfair

I know it’s out of clause
Take a deep breath n pause

Because, every fall is a wakeup call
You are yet to give your all

Cloud that takes a leap of faith
Will surely find its sunshine
Hope, a bird that may seem naive
Even the skies can’t confine

I know it’s out of clause
Breaking shackles of preset laws

But every fall is a wakeup call
You are yet to give your all

Once you learn to treat your failures
As footprints of your success
You can hold on to your own
In the moments of distress

I know it’s out of clause
Coming to terms with your flaws

Still every fall is a wakeup call
You are yet to give your all

2. Father- An Unsung Soldier

Patrolling the fences of my dreams
He embedded hope as life’s legacy
Though he seldom believed in destiny
I’ll never yarn for smiles was his prophecy

An unsung soldier fighting silent battles
He wore hardships of time as medals

I still remember those long walks
The rare man to man talks
Embark on a journey bereft of race
An endeavour from heart will find its place
Each word still resonates beyond realms of sound
When my belief shakes a bit or courage rattles
An unsung soldier fighting silent battles
He wore hardships of life as medals

Surely there would be occasions
Where he would have wept
But his eyes seemed as oceans
Where all emotions he secretly kept
A ship that’s assured of a shore
Long before the storm settles
An unsung soldier fighting silent battles
He wore hardships of time as medals.