Love in Action

Have you ever watched someone cooking?

Someone who loves it..

Revels in it..

Basks in the fragrance?

Lights up in the colours?

A Kitchen from Met Museum

It's like watching the best love-story unfold! 

Have you seen a woman-in-love, cooking?

As she glides through the kitchen 

As she kneads the dough,
Plays with the rolling pin

And sifts through the white flour on the black granite.. 

As she smells the fresh thyme, 

Or grates nutmeg

Or bakes the sweet potato.

As she sneaks in a whiff of vanilla in her sugar...

Have you looked at her as a smile spreads on her face,

With one look at the fresh cilantros 

As if some big puzzle's final-piece fits, finally! 
Have you heard her whispers to herself
"I must bake some cinnamon roll tonight!
Cinnamon rolls are the perfect smells to wake up to!"

I often fall in love with her. 

In the kitchen.

Right under that glowing light.

It's like watching the performance of a master orchestra player. 
Immersed in her own music.

Or a ballet dancer lost in her own dance..

As if the world does not exist. 
As if there is no worry of time.

As if she needs to make no one else happy, but herself. 

Have you ever seen a man cooking?

As he smells the cinnamon, 

Chops the carrot,

Licks the curry of his fingers?

Have you?

I often fall in love with that man. 

हम साथ बूढ़े नहीं हो पाएंगे!

 अक़्सर ये ख़याल आता है 

हम साथ बूढ़े नहीं हो पाएंगे!
कुछ रह जायेगा बोलना! 
सुनना भी। 

सालों बाद, 
मीलों दूर बैठकर ख़याल आएगा -
रह गया कुछ बोलना तुम्हें!
रह गया कुछ सुनना हमें!

अक़्सर डर लगता है 
बूढ़े तो हो जायेंगे पर,
तुम्हारे साथ बूढ़ा होना रह जायेगा!

कुछ ऐसा सा इश्क़ है मेरा

एक पीली चादर सा इश्क़ है मेरा
धूप पड़े, तो खिल सा जाता है
अँधेरे में भी ओझल नहीं होता। 

कभी तो ख़ुद में आसमान बन जाता है
और कभी गर्दन के एक चक्कर में ही सिमट आता है!

पीले फूल, पीली ख़ुशबू
और कुछ सुलगता सा इश्क़ है मेरा

सोच रही हूँ,
इस बसंत  दरगाह पर मिलो,
तो एक पीली सी गठरी नज़र कर दूँ!