In Times Like This, My Friend

In times likes this
I see you my friend,
helpless and stranded,
frightened, hopeless.
You cry my tears, my friend
you bleed my blood;
my pain, my agony,
you go through this all.

There's a story of your nightmare
I heard;
I experienced
the horror on your face;
terrified eyes, yours
sorrow in mine.

We are shaken as of now,
sad will follow soon;
perhaps anger as well
but from now we know
we'll never talk of hell.
I have seen one
the one you went through
the one we never knew
existed
right next to where we dwell
My, your, Our Hell.

We are orphaned my friend
both you and me,
you on that other side
I, alone on mine
few paces, few screens away.
I see you,
my friend;
I know not
your religion,
caste, creed or nation
I only see you bleed
a red, that I know and recognize.

I am sorry my friend
for I can do nothing more
I can grief
I can mourn
go through this feeling unknown.
Is this enough
I doubt my friend,
and I have no one to ask
for we all sail in the same boat
that is struggling to stay afloat.

I hope
and I know we all do;
we know not
how it might have all started
I just pray with my eyes closed
and hands folded
that this is indeed the end
for I can't bear the times like these
as I mourn you, my unknown friend.

Trippin (My Favourite Songs)

Lets restrict this to five recent ones with sufiana flavour to them.

• Ha Raham Farma-e-Khuda (Mehfooz) - AAMIR

Aani jaani hai kahani
Bulbule si Zindagani
Banti kabhi bigadti
Tez hawa se ladti bhidti

Armaan kare kaaya yeh ujali
Mitti mein mil jaayegi
Chahe jitni shamayein roshan kar le
Dhoop to dhal jaayegi, jaayegi

Kya mazaal teri marzi ke aage
Bando ki chal jaayegi
Thaame ungli jo tu katputli bhi
Chaal badal jaayegi, jaayegi

Ha raham, ha raham farm-e-Khuda
Mefooz har kadam karna e-khuda

Beyond words :)

• Tose Naina Lage (Jaaveda Zindagi) - ANWAR

Two muslim characters playing Lord Krishna and Radha, what better way to celebrate the great feeling of love that goes beyond religion, region, caste or creed :)

• Meharbaan - ADA

Tu hai nihaa (Secret), main hoon ayaan (visible),
Tu hatheli (Palm), main hoon heena (Decoration).

AR Rahman vocals, AR Rahman music, beautiful Urdu laden poetry; brings smile to one's face, peace to one's mind and makes one feel good about oneself and everything around.

• Jiya Dhadak Dhadak Jaye - KALYUG

Simple yet mersmerizing, magical.

• Teri Deewani - KAILASA (Kailash Kher)

Off late we have been blessed with some great composers and singers, Amit Trivedi (Aamir music director) is one and Kailash Kher is another. Beautiful composition, even better video; showing various shades of love, each as endearing as other. Add the subtle spirituality that flows underneath and here's music fulfilling its very purpose :)

Amazing songs, nothing more can be said, just listen and experience it for yourself.

Danish White Satin

They greeted me in the morn,
The snow, the wind and the chilling cold;
"Wake up and be outside", they said,
"There's beauty spread for you to behold".

*******

Seven Pair of Shoes

I have seven pair of shoes
too many for a pair of legs.
Come to think of it,
I was never the one
of those spendthrift kinds,
of royal tastes,
not even fond of shoes and shines;
and yet
I have seven pair of shoes.

Would have suited me
if i were a thief by temple
or a chief with money ample.
But I am none,
neither I bought them for fun.
Anyways,
now that they are
it needs to be mentioned,
I have seven pair of shoes.

Two black shiny ones;
They consider themselves a class apart
always looking down on others in rack,
laughing and boasting their shiny leather
I wonder however,
if they can rough it out against the weather
like my running shoes do.
A white like a white dove
for its younger than its other bro
which is soon to be retired from the plight
that it suffers during my long walks,
sometimes I feel it even talks
in a manner that I dont understand
but it has been a good friend.

Then there's a black suede one
which isn't as graceful as the Brown
but it prides itself
for its universal charm.
No wonder its services
are more frequently called upon.
Brown suede sits looking bored
for its seldom worn.
I guess it feels
that I aint the right person to own.

Finally,
there's a blue pair of soccer shoes
that I am yet to try.
They lie in their cardboard box sleeping
without making any hue and cry;
and why not,
for the place is much cosy and dry.
They might see light of the day
when one fine day I'll decide to play.

So here I am
with seven pair of shoes
that I ended up buying 'just like that',
not that I feel an itch in my feet
I think its more to do with head.
Anyways, these seven pairs
they aren't the best shoes in the world
they aren't the costliest,
they are just seven pair of shoes on my rack,
worth a few roads to walk
worth a few lines to drag.