Words That Stay

I need someone—

To read my mind.

To be immensely kind.

To hug and hold me tight,

When I painstakingly fight.

To love me complete and true.

To accept my reds, my blacks, and my blues.

To make me innocently smile,

Realizing, I haven't laughed in a while.

To travel atop the mountain and sail the lakes.

To kiss me passionately when I adamantly repeat my mistakes.

To be my shadow and at times turn into my reflections too.

To guide me right when I am wrong, and proudly join my solo crew.

To stick by my side unconditionally, wherever unplanned I go.

I need someone with whom I will constantly, magically grow.

The smell of the wet rain.

The stench in a packed train.

The steaming tea in the mud cup.

The abrupt unending hiccup.

The walk on the road when you miss your ride.

When your heart broke, and the night you cried.

The party that declared you lonely and unfit.

The friends that pushed you to be brave and commit.

The music blaring loud on the giant speakers.

The dirt and grime on your old white sneakers.

The favorite dish on the table served hot.

The porridge left burning in the forgotten pot.

The melted squishy chocolate, stolen from your sister.

The jumbled-up words of the long tongue twister.

The kiss unexpected and rewarding — a desire so strong.

The escaped punishments for all the doings wrong.

The conversations at night, when the lights are down.

The knock on the door disturbing, when in sleep you drown.

The gift from a stranger on your un-announced birthday.

The stories you made up — for an excuse that you had to say.

The moments on the terrace when you were declared lost.

When found, oh! the drama, the pain, and the cost.

Sins confessed to a friend in an hour of enlightenment.

Only to realize more to come, I am far from contentment.

Nostalgia for me is an unending list.

The feeling of happiness, which will cravingly remain missed.

Let there be light in my heart.

Let the cage disappear and fall apart.

Let the fresh and rejuvenating air blow.

Let the honest and sincere rivers flow.

Let the love and warmth rain.

Let's evaporate the torturous pain.

Let the pure soul highly soar.

Let life in all its mightiness roar.

Let there be peace and joy.

Let there be no agenda or ploy.

Let us be bold, not coy.

Let us be real and not a toy.

Let there be ease to form trust.

Let it happen without a push or thrust.

Let there be real concern.

This one must keenly discern.

Let me be free, that's when I am real.

Let me be me, let me off any fear.

Let me be alive, every moment of the day.

Let me be all worth it, that's all I have to say.

Let me declare, I am not a slave.

Beware, I am not going into a cave.

I am my master and me I own.

You can threaten and kill, but at last you will mourn.

He felt important when he was with her. She made him feel like "The King" — the one in control, the one in charge, the one whose decision mattered. She bowed to him. She followed him. She made him happy. She served him — all that he desired and craved for. He felt powerful, undefeatable, victorious.

He knew — she was weak. He knew — she couldn't survive without him. He knew — without him, she would be lost. He never acknowledged her strength. He believed she was vulnerable and breakable.

And… she never gave him a chance to think otherwise.

Little did he know, she chose to be the weaker one. Little did he know that she wanted him to believe in a story — where she survived, where she existed, only because he was by her side.

She did it to give him the power, the strength, and most importantly — the illusion of being the one who ruled.

Tum paas na raho, tumhari maujoodgi mehsoos hothi hai.

Tum jab muskuraao, khushi humpe meherbaan hothi hai.

Tum ghair hi sahi, hum mein tum shaamil se lagthe ho.

Tum qareeb na sahi, dil ke aasmanon mein lagthe ho.

Tumhari awaaz nahi phir bhi, wo sunayi dethi kaise?

Tum ne chchua bhi nahi, par mere mein base ho aise.

Kabhi aisa lagtha hai—Tum haqeeqat mein ho bhi nahi.

Phir ehsaas—Tere baghair zinda hona mumkin hi nahi.

Kuch log zindagi mein aathe hai achaanak aise.

Ban jaathe hai hissa, hamesha se hamare rahe ho jaise.

Phir kahin gum ho jaathe hai, kabhi na milne ke liye.

Dil karta hai sawaal—Ab aage kaise jiyein?

Tum hamare lagthe ho kaun, iska jawab nahi miltha.

Par tere baghair zindagi tamaam bhi tho nahi miltha.

Kuch rishthey aise bhi, jinke naam nahi hothe.

Mere tumhare jaise qisse, mere dosth, kabhi aam nahi hothe.

तुम पास न रहो, तुम्हारी मौजूदगी महसूस होती है।

तुम जब मुस्कुराओ, खुशी हम पे मेहरबान होती है।

तुम गैर ही सही, हम में तुम शामिल से लगते हो।

तुम क़रीब न सही, दिल के आसमानों में लगते हो।

तुम्हारी आवाज़ नहीं फिर भी, वो सुनाई देती कैसे?

तुमने छुआ भी नहीं, पर मेरे में बसे हो ऐसे।

कभी ऐसा लगता है—तुम हक़ीक़त में हो भी नहीं।

फिर एहसास—तेरे बग़ैर ज़िंदा होना मुमकिन ही नहीं।

कुछ लोग ज़िंदगी में आते हैं अचानक ऐसे।

बन जाते हैं हिस्सा, हमेशा से हमारे रहे हो जैसे।

फिर कहीं गुम हो जाते हैं, कभी न मिलने के लिए।

दिल करता है सवाल—अब आगे कैसे जिएँ?

तुम हमारे लगते हो कौन, इसका जवाब नहीं मिलता।

पर तेरे बग़ैर ज़िंदगी तमाम भी तो नहीं मिलता।

कुछ रिश्ते ऐसे भी, जिनके नाम नहीं होते।

मेरे–तुम्हारे जैसे क़िस्से, मेरे दोस्त, कभी आम नहीं होते।