EXPRESSIONS
SPEARHEADS
They say I know how to act
To put on a mask and
show the world a different face
One that is full of pretense
That's true I guess
So much so that I get too carried away
with the characters I play
That I forget who I am,
That I lose my sense of identity
The reason for that I believe
Has been my fondness of characters complex
I've been fascinated by their misery
Their longing
Their lack of belonging
In their most inner abode
I fool the world with false pretense
But I wonder if I ever really fool the world
Or fool only myself
For I can't tell the difference myself
Between affectation and reality
My face is now distorted
Under the burden of masks I've worn
But taking them off is no less a burden
For I make myself vulnerable
To none but my soul.
It is fear, not insanity
The root cause of this pretense
Sometimes that of nicety
Sometimes that of responsibility
Fear of responsibility...
Makes me a coward perhaps
And that I am
Perhaps this pretense is not for the world
But an utterly futile attempt
To renounce my cowardice
To unaccept my reality
Because flaws aren't meant to be embraced
Flaws aren't meant to be accepted
Flaws are meant to be used against
Against those to whom they belong
To ensure that they lose their esteem
So that nowhere do they belong
And hence to hide these flaws
I put up so many masks
Not ones that protect
But those that cause harm.
After all that I have seen
Don't be surprised to find
That when you look deep within my eyes
What you shall see
Is not the tranquillity of the sea
Or the rage of the storm
But all you'll see are voids
Voids full of apathy
However
The best part and the worst
Is that these masks have always worked
But work they did at a bitter price
One that scarred my soul.
But I am tired of these masks,
Of these characters that I play
But it is survival that necessitates
That these masks be adorned
If not like ornaments
Then like armor
Heavy to adorn
But keep you from dying...
-Unnat Parande
I grew up watching Cinderella, the Beauty and the Beast;
I always believed my humble prince, too, would exist;
But not everyone is Flynn Rider or Prince Charming,
He ruined me, my life's now alarming;
Hey angel, you might be wondering why am I saying this to you;
Why among the human faces, it's a bird I chose to!
He bribed my father to marry me;
Just like he paid your owner, you see?
You know you breathe in golden rods, such lucks!
I breathe in a diamond house too, it sucks!
Both of us are breathing and not living, right?
Neither will our strength will win us this fight;
You were meant to fly and so was I !
But he beats me up whenever for my dreams I cry;
Both of us have a voice but can't speak up;
You and me aren't the choices of good luck;
They actually want to listen you sing;
And he would shut me quite in a blink;
Prisoned are we in a million dollar;
Tired, like a withered flower;
Hopeless, useless, helpless is all I feel ;
These heavy breaths neither of us can deal ;
He bought you as a showpiece like me ;
People do spread his news like a buzz bee ;
He zips me bang when I try to screw ;
You don't have such bruises, do you?
I know this step will boil his blood;
But ants do have to survive the flood.
Today I'll set you open your living tree;
Atleast one of us shall be free.
I know he'll hit me for letting you;
I shall fight for me too.
We deserve a beautiful world, away from this nasty cage;
A lively fairy tale and not a prisoned page.
I hope you'll be able to face the world with your might;
I hope I win this fight.
Good bye angel, do reach the skies;
Today shall I open this cage to a world of lives.
-Sayali Chakre
If you are unhappy and you know it
Clap your hands.
Clap, not to mock your melancholy, but to celebrate it
Just like you celebrate your felicity.
Clap to announce to the dark
That you stand unafraid.
And that you know
That this too shall pass.
If you are unhappy and you know it
DON’T stomp your feet
Because to be honest, it won’t help!
Stomp not, instead channelize
The anger which you would otherwise squander,
For anger is fire…
Let it be one that illuminates, not one that burns down.
If you are unhappy and you know it
DON’T pull your nose.
Pull not yourself too much
For you might tear yourself apart…
Breathe instead,
Breathe to give yourself space,
Breathe to give yourself time,
Breathe to make the lines of your poetry rhyme.
If you are unhappy and you know it
Say ‘HELLO!’
Say hello to your conscience,
For you may not find too many
With whom you can talk your heart out
especially in times of misery.
Say ‘HELLO!’ to your inner self,
not solely to find solace
but to also find strength…
And to discover
an undying fidelity to one’s only constant companion:
The Self.
When you are unhappy and you know it
Say ‘HURRAY!’
Say ‘Hurray’ not to drive the darkness away,
But to summon the light to light yourself up.
Say ‘Hurray’ for no reason at all
For sometimes the only reason to rejoice
Is the need for rejoicement itself…
One might wonder what is the difference,
Between driving away the dark
And summoning in the light
It is not that complicated you see…
You can’t push darkness out of the room,
You can only light a candle.
For darkness ain’t an entity in itself
It is merely the absence of light.
- Unnat Parande
They met at the far end of the alley
To avoid public gaze
Walked down the street
Till their figures engulfed by haze.
Only when they knew they were safely distant
From the honking of cars and speeding of bikes
Importantly,
Far away from prying eyes
Looking for them to victimize
Did they shed their masks
Of anonymity.
That is how they earned privacy…
Privacy, not to rub one’s cheeks against the other
But simply to rest
Under the umbrella of the sky
Sipping away cappuccino
Looking the other in the eye
And keep looking
Without blinking
Just to see who blinks first.
Teasing the one who blinked first
Then bursting into laughter
For no reason at all
There exists in fact
No reason at all
For them to laugh when together
Him she helped with his assignments,
Not writing it down for him
But helping him solve
“Wouldn’t fish for the other
But teach to fish”,
Was their resolve.
Her he helped to meet her deadlines
For the internship she had taken
With that Engineering Firm.
Whenever she was mistaken,
He’d stand by firm.
They’d talk about college
And their teachers
And the upcoming test
About friends and college magazines
And the upcoming fest
But mostly they talked
About their quest…
The quest to find themselves
Somewhere amidst all the clamour
To not get caught just by the glamour.
The quest to find and identify
A pursuit on which they can rely
Not just to pay their bills and fill their tummy
But a pursuit that gives them joy
The joy of accomplishment.
It is in this pursuit of happiness
That they found each other
As companions on a journey
Helping seek oneself and each other.
Their bond, absolutely pure
The purest that can be
No greed or lust or affectation
But why can’t the world see?
Why look at them with prying eyes?
Why look for them to victimize?
As if they had indulged in thievery
Or caused all to feel fevery.
What makes it so different
Than other forms of love?
Perhaps only the expression
Of how you show affection
But is it really worthy
Of that incriminating glare?
To pollute purity for no real reason,
Is it really fair?
With these thoughts in mind
They checked their watch
Oh! It was nearly ‘in-time’!
Meaning they had to part,
At least for some time…
After a day well-spent
They did part
No regrets or complaints
Just contentment in their hearts.
Until next time
They bid farewell
Back they went to the same
Far end of the alley
To avoid public gaze
Walked down the street
This time in opposite directions
Till their figures engulfed by haze…
- Team Catalyst
Looking deep into the horizon,
living inside the tall walls you created
when life is another endless maze,
and the time seems heavily weighted;
Here, the definition is different for win,
it is not giving up and not giving in.
Broken, shattered, and bruised,
these scars aren’t here to stay;
Allow yourself to grief,
the strongest hearts need that,
To hold on to faith is hard to obey,
but every effort is worth in this combat
An ethereal patchwork of euphoria and melancholy you are,
little courageous, little numbed by pain;
nobody knows how this story ends
but you can always commence writing it again.
Let time take its time,
let hearts carry this note of hope;
what has strangled around you
will untangle on its own.
When you will rejuvenate, you will feel too
that the road is long, but worth taking;
pat your back, and raise a toast for you
cause your soul waits for the spring.
When you will reach the greener side,
cause there exists one;
turmoils will escape with the dark clouds
when you’ll get there out in the sun.
When you'll think of what you've been through,
you will find a warrior in the mirror;
who knows, maybe the next time
will be your forever.
Embrace yourself
cause there are a million reasons
for you to be proud about,
and as you walk along, you will know,
Hope is something we can't live without.
- Team Catalyst
It is mental health awareness week
and I finally pick up this pen
to vent what I wanted to speak
years ago, when it started getting over my skin,
which now has made its den deep within.
Do I want to garner some ears?
Expose myself to vulnerability?
or do I want to disappear
from these detrimental actions of society?
Cold shoulders everywhere I see,
It’s funny cause even I don’t really know
what I’m supposed to be!
What do you do
in the darkest hour of night,
when you’re trapped in the barbed-wire fence
of your thoughts and turmoil?
Do you figure out ways to ignite the torch
for the blind world to discern?
Do you scream helplessly
For the deaf helpers to hear?
They have learned how to dislike,
growing upon the grounds of wrong and right;
robbing the pride and damaging the beliefs,
with no hesitation or fear in sight.
Strained myself conforming to societal moulds,
hiding my integral aspects to myself,
I want to know what I’ve done
that the mirror fails today to tell me where I’ve failed
It’s like I’m nothing to this world
but just dead as a doornail!
What is it that makes the hate
chain our feet and strangle our necks?
Is it cause of the wrong body?
Or the fact that I am the ‘wrong’ sex?
They tell me that I don’t know what love is
When they’re blinded by their own hatred
They tell me to look for the answers,
The answers hidden in my soul
I wish they’d understand that easily
That there’s no part of me that I can control.
As I gather some courage to spill some ink
I see the pride flag over my desk waving
I’ll continue dreaming of the day,
when “love is love” just won’t be a fancy quote,
when acceptance will reflect in everyone’s eyes
and my heart will leap up
as I’ll behold a rainbow in the sky.
- Team Catalyst
एक संदेश यमराज को
सादर प्रणाम, यमराज।
न कर सकता हूँ पृथक मृत्यु को जीवन से
मरण करे भयभीत मुझे, मेरे निष्फल चिंतन से
संतुलन हेतु अनमोल अलगाव अनिवार्य है
संसार का यह महत्तम रंज मुझे स्वीकार्य है
प्रस्थान होगा उसका जिसे भीतर समाया था
वह पल अटल है, यह तुमने मुझे बतलाया था
हे यमराज! समय की इस करवट से मैं अवगत हूँ
अनुरागी के नाते, उसका कूच रोकने में अतीगत हूँ
भय इतना प्रखर कि अपना सामर्थ्य तक लांघ सकता हूँ
कुबेर का प्रिय होकर भी एक भिखारी से भीख मांग सकता हूँ
कर भी जाऊंगा तुम्हारे दूतों से दो दो हाथ
दिखेगा तब तुम्हें मेरे खून पसीने का प्रपात
अमित बार रणभूमि में कोलाहल होगा
हर जीत के बाद ऊंचा फिर मेरा मनोबल होगा
यह केवल युद्ध नहीं, लगाव-प्रेम की एक परीक्षा है
कर्म से स्वयं को क्षत्रिय कहलाने की अपेक्षा है
भैंसे पे सवार का अंतिम प्रहार आएगा जब
मृत्युंजय का सहारा भी न रह जाएगा तब
विजय अंततः आपकी, अर्थात धर्मराज की है
न डरा निश्चित घड़ी से, न आत्मा ने मुझ पर लाज की है
प्रकृति का देखो यह बड़ा अनोखा हाल
कोई रूठा आपके आने से, तो कोई माने सुकाल
दर्द चीख से जो बेसहारा, बिताता अपना जीवन है
कोई पूछे उसकी आशा क्या है, वह पुकारता आपका आगमन है
सुनो यमराज
ऐसा नहीं कि कोई भय ही नहीं आपके दण्ड से
हाँ! हूँ भयभीत! आपसे अकाल भेंट से,
अकाल मरण से।
- दिव्यांश पाठक
स्वतःहून जास्त सोमोरच्यावर प्रेम करणारा,
शत्रू इतकंच समोरच्याचा द्येश करणारा.
संबंध सृष्टी समोरच्यात शोधणारा,
ओळख असून अनोळखी भासवणारा.
समोरच्याला प्राधान्य देणारा,
स्वतः प्राधान्य घेणारा.
तासन्तास बडबड करणारा,
तर कधी अबोल असा वाणारा.
सारं जग आपलस करून घेणारा,
स्वतःच्या जगात रमून जाणार.
माणूस आहे यंत्र नाही,
म्हणून तर असा आहे मी आणि असाही आहे मी ।
- प्रथमेश देवकर
मैत्री म्हणजे नेमकं काय असतं?
आरंभीच्या अज्ञाताला जीवनभरासाठी जवळ करण्याचं ते एक साधन असतं,
आपला सोबती, सवंगडी, हितचिंतक स्वतः निवडण्याचं
देवाने आपल्याला दिलेलं स्वातंत्र्य असतं.
मैत्री म्हणजे नेमकं काय असतं?
प्रसंगी रक्ताच्या नात्यालाही फिकं पाडेल
इतकं पावित्र्य तिच्यात असतं ,
मनाच्या तुटून पडलेल्या मण्यांना पुन्हा एकत्र आणावं अस तीचं कार्य असतं.
मैत्री म्हणजे नेमकं काय असतं?
रंग, रूप, जात, लिंग, वय यांची बंधनं नसणारं,
केवळ हृदयाला हृदय जोडणारं आंतरिक सौंदर्य असतं,
एका मिठीत समोरच्याच्या आसवांना हास्यात बदलण्याचं सामर्थ्य तिच्यात असतं.
मैत्री म्हणजे नेमकं काय असतं?
निस्वार्थ प्रेम, सहकार्य, आपुलकी, प्रेरणा यांचा शब्दशः उल्लेखही न करता
या क्रिया स्वयंचलित पार पाडणारं ते एक यंत्र असतं,
"तुझ्यासाठी काय पण" म्हणत जीवन सुखकर करण्याचं एक विलक्षण तंत्र असतं.
मैत्री म्हणजे नेमकं काय असतं?
जिथे सुखांची बेरीज करून आनंद द्विगुणित करणं
आणि दुःखांची वजाबाकी हे सहज शक्य असतं
पण महत्त्वाचं म्हणजे विश्वासाचं गणित कधी चुकत नसतं
मैत्री म्हणजे नेमकं काय असतं?
हरलेल्याला ताठ मानेनं उभं करेन अस धैर्य तिच्यात असतं,
हरवलेल्या आठवणींना उजाळा देऊन,
पोट धरून हसण्याचं संपूर्ण गमक मैत्रीत असतं.
-प्राची पगार
झाडे डोलती, गुणगुणतो वारा
पक्षी परतती, पिलांसाठी घेऊनी चारा
गोठ्यात आता वासराला आधार आईचा
सांजवेळ होताना, रवी राजाला निरोप देताना...
तांबूस भगवा, न्हाऊन निघते पश्चिम दिशा रंग मिटवतात चंद्रकिरणांच्या शुभ्रा रेषा
मग क्षितीजापल्याड हरवून जाते मन माझे
सांजवेळ होताना, रवी राजाला निरोप देताना...
लक्ष वेधूनी, चमकतो ध्रुव तारा थंड हवेची झुळुक अन् अंगावर शहारा मग दरवळतो बेधुंद सुगंध रातराणीचा सांजवेळ होताना, रवी राजाला निरोप देताना...
शब्दांच्या पोटात शिरून, मग सुचते मला कविता
शब्दभावनांचे मिलन होते, जणू सागर-सरिता
ताऱ्यांचे हिरे होतात, क्षण हा टिपून ठेवताना
सांजवेळ होताना रवी राजाला निरोप देताना...
- प्रज्ञा पाठारे
माय वालं लेकरू जा बार्डरी वर जाते,
ता पासून चित सारं मालं त्याच्यातच राते...
कदी तं,
कामामंदी बी त्याची लय्य आठोन यते,
डोयाले डोया लागत नाई, येवडी फिकर व्हते...
मंग,
चिट्टी पाटवा लागते त्याले,
काऊन त म्हणे तटी फोन काई लागत नाई,
पन कोण्या जंगलात अशीन काय माईत यंदा, जवाब बी लीन का नाई...
काय कराव सवय झाली मले याची आता,
राखी ची चिट्टी दिवाई ले अन दिवाई ची चिट्टी पतंगी ले यते,
खबर बी नसते त्याले की तेवळ्यात इकळे काय काय व्हते...
पन,
जर का कुटी काई घळलं, कानावर पळलं की मायंच मले खाते,
अन 'शईद' शब्द आयकला की आंग पानी होउन जाते...
म्या यक त वायलं आंदीच अदीक दुसरं बी निन काय...?
दुश्मनाईची गोई देशासाटी लेकरू मालं छाताड्यावर घेईन काय?
जीव कसावीस व्हते वाट्टे दुसरं वापस कसं इन,
पइलं त आलतं झंड्यात, हे बी का त्याच्या पायावर पाय ठुईन...
पन,
कसं बी आलं ना तरी पइले त्याले कुशीत मी घेईन,
मिरची काडीन उतरून त्याची नजर मी पायीन...
अन,
अश्यात बोलनारे बी भेट्टात, दोनी लेकरं गमावले...
आता म्हने म्हतारी झाल्यावर तुये हाल कोन खाईन,
पन त्यायले कोन सांगन, विरमाय करून गेले लेकरं माये मले...
पुढच्या जनमी बी फौज्यायची च माय मी व्हईन...।
- R J
प्रेमाच्या आभावाने जग ग्रासलय का...?
खोलीत स्वत:ला कोंडून कोणी बसलय का?
प्रेमाच्या आभावाने जग ग्रासलय का?
तसं तर सगळेच म्हणतात
की जगणं हे सुंदर आहे,
तसं तर सगळेच मानतात
की आयुष्य हे निर्मळ आहे.
पण ज्याच्याकडे आहे धन
आणी जग्न्याईतकी संपत्ती,
फक्त त्यांची ही कथा...
ज्याच्या खिश्यात नसे दमडी,
त्याची काय सांगावी व्यथा?
चुल्हीवरचा फुलकासुद्धा मिटक्या मारत खातात,
आपले रड्गाणेदेखील आनंदाने गातात...
त्या चिमुरड्याला पाण्याचा आभाव नको
म्हणून आई-बाप त्याला आपल्या अश्रुंनी न्हाऊ घालतात.
हे आनंदी रड्गाणे पाहत
चिमुरडा तो थोरावतो,
जीवाचे रान करुन
कुठे तरी स्थिरावतो.
जरी तो स्थिरावला
मन त्याचे अस्थिर असे,
किती जरी खाजवलं डोकं
प्रश्न हा सुटत नसे:
खोलीत स्वत:ला कोंडून कोणी बसलय का?
प्रेमाच्या आभावाने जग ग्रासलय का?
- Unnat Parande
