If a firefly flickers in the darkest corner of night
If clouds write a song, and weary raindrops sing
In the shades of sorrow, if the luster sets in,
It's only love, that got in the way of everything..

If raindrops kiss the arid land for the first time
And the frozen winter embraces the happy spring
In the empty glass of wine, if a teardrop falls
It's only love, that got in the way of everything..

My heart was emptier than a thousand black holes
You enter, and the bouts of feelings set in
The vaccums fill in with dregs of light and faith
It's only love, that got in the way of everything..

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It's midnight
I lean at the broken window
As dark winds sweep the dust off
the dark roads..
I wait for him to appear..
The crazy stone picker
Who circles around the town
Picking the stones, throwing them away.
An old crazy loner
What does he pick the stones for,
When he has to throw them
Back to the street
"That's where they all belong"
he says, when asked.
"Ordinary stones, belong to streets"
He has deep blue eyes
Prominent amidst dense hair and beard
Deeper than the blues of the evening sky..
Deeper than the blues of a broken heart
Sad, but hopeful
"I am looking for the magic stone", he says..
I laugh at him
This ain't a fairy tale
There's no such thing as magic
" Philosopher's stone!
the one that turns iron to gold
Decades ago,
I sneaked this iron rod off
my father's attic"
He points the rod in his hand
".. I pick the stones to test them on the rod
One day, I will find philosopher's stone
that'd turn this rod to gold
I will cherish that stone for lifetime"
he grins ear to ear
And gets back to his tedious hunt
Oblivious to the fact
that the rod in his hand
Is already gold..!

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Sunset

I loosened all the tightened hopes
Let go the bonds, cut off the ropes
To let the stream of ages flow..
I just can't let that sunset go

We sat all silent at the shore
A bit more friendly than before
We let go all the silly fights
As sea wore it's necklace of lights

And yet again, you looked at me
As sun fell for the dancing sea
It took the sea out of the blue
And painted it in saffron hue

I still can hear it all along
The evening breeze whisper the song
Words and dialogues out of sight
As dusk turned into winsome night

We let our weary souls unwind
And left the cranky world behind
Clear as crystal, pure as snow,
I just can't let that sunset go!

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I sit at the edge facing the sea
Leaving the noisy city behind me
the city that never sleeps..

-

It's 5 AM

I hear the early birds chirping outside
The night will gradually evolve into a beautiful day
Like I evolved
from being dubious about living with you,
to being unable to live without you..
I clear the foggy window pane amidst all my doubts
As the morning kicks in...

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It matters not how bleak the land
How lost the goal may seem
With rays of love and sprinkled hopes
Let's plant a winsome dream..

-

फिरून सरला काळ, अजुनही घुटमळते ती वळणापाशी
युगायुगांची फरफट तरिही अजून आहे ती वनवासी 

अजून उठती शर शंकांचे मर्यादा ती लंघून जाता 
जनलज्जेच्या खेळामध्ये हरलेली ती अगतिक सीता 
अन् काळोखी वळवणावरती टपून आहे नवा पारधी 
नव्या कुरूंनी विटंबिलेली नव्या युगी ती नवी द्रौपदी 
ती माता ती भगिनी भार्या, तरी जगाला नकोनकोशी

ती कान्हाच्या वेणुमधली उषःकालची नवी भुपाळी 
मध्यान्हीची तीच सावली वायुलहर ती सायंकाळी 
तीच तुझ्या नात्यांची दोरी तीच तुझी ममतेची छाया 
अडखळता तुज सावरणारी तीच शांतशी शीतल माया 
सामर्थ्याची मशाल हाती धगधगणारे दुःख उराशी..

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It matters not how bleak the land
How lost the goal may seem
With rays of love and sprinkled hopes
Let's plant a winsome dream..

-

पुन्हा नव्याने फुलती स्वप्ने
पुन्हा नव्या उलगडती वाटा
पुन्हा नवी अधरांवर लिहिली
नाविन्याची लोभस गाथा

अस्तित्वाचा नवा अर्थ अन्
जगणे सारे नवेच झाले
बुरसटलेले पाश तोडुनी
नवे पाखरू नभी उडाले

नव्या नव्याची नवलाई ही
व्यापुन घेते सारे जीवन
नव्या नभीची नवीन बिजली
छेदून जाते जुने कृष्ण घन

नव्या सुरांची नवी भुपाळी
नवी सुगंधी पहाट गाते
अधीर राधा पुन्हा नव्याने
श्यामनिळ्याची होऊन जाते

अदिती

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दूरात चंद्रमाचा मधुरम्यसा महाल 
फिरती सभोवताली तारांगणे विशाल
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चैतन्य शैशवाचे उधळीत रात्र आली ...

तो स्पर्श पावसाळी तो चिंब देह ओला 
तो केवडा सुगंधी केसात माळलेला 
तो मोरपीस वेडा भिरभीर होय गाली 
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स्वप्नील लोचनात साचून चंद्रतारे 
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तारुण्य ध्येयवेडे लेवून आज भाळी 
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थकल्या सुन्या दिशा ह्या अन वाट संपलेली 
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अंकूरण्या नव्याने झडुदेत जीर्ण वेली 
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© अदिती जोशी

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