Eyes Don't Lie

The sparkle in the eyes,

The nervous steps,

The shallow heavy breath,

The lump in the throat, 

The silky tresses, 

The turquoise dupatta,

The quick sidelong glances,

Straight out of dreams,

The bubbly voice,

The soothing hum,

The firm grasp 

The looks that stopped the winds,

And me,

Can never lie! 

The unsaid words,

The unpenned letters,

The silent walks,

The serene dusks,

The patient waits,

The painful parting,

The hands that never clasped,

The paths that didn't cross,

Had so much between them,

The pain and the moistness,

Shrouded in the eyes,

Just won't die, 

Because eyes never lie! 

The breeze was different today,

With a slight nip, 

And a fond sooty smell,

Loaded with strong longing.

It swept in thoughts 

From many falls ago, 

Some familiar,

Many strange, yet friendly.

I struggled through the layers

Of sweeping thoughts,

But one refused to pass -

The scars may heal,

The smiles may feign,

But the pain just refused to die.

As the breeze turned wild,

So did my thoughts, 

I snuggled into my pillow

And hugged on to a thought -

Would you ever be hurt

Had it not been for love! 

© Sashikant Mohanty 

Gently

It's fine you don't feel the way, I do

The crimson skies don't light up your spirits, 

The aroma from the fall's flowers

Doesn't ring in a smell from your memories, 

The  chirping of the mynas doesn't echo a murmur,

In your heart.

But when you laugh it off, at those thoughts, 

They tear my heart apart.

Please do it gently! 

It's fine, the sight of the panoramic mountains

Don't light up your eyes, 

The slant rays of sun, the chill in the air

Don't draw you to me,  

Even Kashmir's beauty wouldn't capture your imagination, 

The untouched, the unrivalled, the unbridled 

The unviolated, and the unspoiled 

The stream and the stanzas, 

The moonlight that shone on the stones, 

And the music in the springs,
Were all so alien to you. 

When you sit next to me, under a starry sky

The silence pierced through my heart, 

The space seemed like miles, and ages,
They crush my thoughts, the little crazy ones.

Please do it gently! 

Where's the playful shyness of your chunni,

The way it would, earlier

As the wind blew it over my face, 

Why don't the golden strands smell the same, 

Like they would earlier, 

Why don't the winter afternoons, 

And the summer evenings

Bring the bounce to your feet,

The same way as they did. 

As I struggle to bide time,

As my heart craves for a hug

When you're too busy for memories, 

My heart bleeds from a deep cut.

Please do it gently! 

© Sashikant Mohanty 

Of Drizzles And Dreams

With every step, 

The drizzle felt so much dearer,

The breeze and the soot smelled so welcome, 

The orange sky at its resplendent best, 

When the orchestra was cranking up, 

The train's horn couldn't be far behind.

From a dimly lit window, flowed in a song

Don't insist on leaving today! 

My sight was getting blurred

Couldn't tell if it was the droplets on my glass,

Or moistness elsewhere,

The steps, the sight, the touch, the smell, and the song 

Begged a thought -

Why live for dreams

When you can live them! 

There's a music in the train,
A storm was building up in the rain,
Like the storm that was raking up within,

That tempted a train of thoughts, 

Of the wind playing pranks on you,

And you hugging on to your chunni,

Of the breeze that left your golden locks awry, 

The smile that escaped your lips, as you gave up trying,

And the breeze fell for it, 

So did I,

Watching you from the afar,

As the flurry of colours swept gently in,

I couldn't resist a thought,

Why crave for dreams, 

When you can live them! 

The sight of the pristine nature,

Deep, calm and melodious,

The manicured landscapes,

The lush green everything,

The raw smell of coffee from the estates,

The stream that lazed along over the sparkling stones,
That tempt you to slow down and notice,

And there as you stood, 

With silence that spoke a thousand words,

And looks that brewed a million thoughts, 

I couldn't help the thought,

Of us crossing the street,

When you suddenly clasped my hands,
And almost held me firm, and tugged close to you,

And your eyes wouldn't tell

If it was the concern, or the need for a hug.

In the drizzle, enjoying the smell of soot,

As I walked along, 

When the wind pushed me back,
And from somewhere the song played in loops,  

Don't insist on leaving tonight,

I had just one thought

Why die for dreams

When you can simply live them! 

© Sashikant Mohanty 

Would You, The Way I Would

Every moment is just about you
Each thought crafted so delicately around you
Many even took Hope for your name!
On endless nights, I'd indulge in dreams
Your bangles breaking the silence of the dark,
As smile laced your face, and sleep your eyes,
And your head secured on my shoulders.
As you wind up long busy days,
Do you still stand before the mirror,
Wipe the sweat off your brow,
Do you do your hair, the way you used to then,
Do you still hum your favorite number,
The way you would, then?
In your dreams,
Does the pallu still get stuck in my necklace,
The way it would, then?

When I stood by the gate,
Waving at you,
Forcing that smile,
And battling the surge of feelings,
Until the car vanished around the corner,
And the plume of dust refused to settle down,
You sat calmly by the window, still smiling,
As you drew the stole over your shoulders
Hands reaching for the vanity kit,
Making up the eye-lashes,
Feigning an air of indifference,
I struggled to get a glimpse of your eyes,
And a determined you sealed them from mine.
As I kept staring at the emptiness,
Tell me, my heart
When sleep eludes you at the thought of parting,
Do your eyes still turn moist,
Do you also struggle to recall my face,
The way I would?

When my heart craves to be with you,
A few moments longer,
But my flesh too tired to move,
Tell me, my Hope,
Will you come over, again
Secure your head on my shoulder,
Let the bangles break the silence of the dark,
The way you would, then!


© Sashikant Mohanty