That which you say you love
And claim as your own
Let it flow, breeze or brook like
Rather ‘an turning into a stone
Do that, and you will surely know
You and your love have grown

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मेरी प्यारी मातू

रोते मरते तो कई हैं प्यार के बहाने
मेरे लिए बहादुरी से मुस्कुराती है तू
बाग़बान भी तू, बाग़ भी तू
हर मौसम में फूल सि खिलखिलाती है तू

कभी पुरानी बातों से, कभी मीठी सी यादों से
कभी अपने बचपने से, बचपन याद दिलाती है तू
कभी अपार प्यार से, कभी सवालों की बौछार से
क़सम से माँ, कभी-कभी बड़ा सताती है तू

कह देता हूँ तुझे न जाने क्या कुछ
क्योंकि चुप-चाप सब सुन जाती है तू
माफ़ी का तो लोग एहसान हैं करते
मेरी हर भूल को भुलाती है तू

पिंजरे में अगर खुद क़ैद भी हो तू
मेरे पंखों को सहलाती है तू
मुझे हिम्मत देने की ख़ातिर
अपने आँसू पी जाती है तू

तू डर में भी बस टोकती है, कभी रोकती नहीं
मुझे मुझसे ज़्यादा अपनाती है तू
तू मुझे अपना कहके कभी रिश्ता जताती नहीं
बस हर पल निभाती है तू

माँ, मेरी प्यारी मातू है तू

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The Personal is Pandemic:
Understanding the role of our value system in our response to Coronavirus and beyond

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Cup of Tea

Why do you hesitate
To bring it to your lips?
It’s just a heartfelt thought
Not a cup of hot tea

Or wait!
Perhaps it is
Hang on a while
Savour it at the sweet spot

But don’t wait too long
Or the warm sips
Would quickly become
A lukewarm gulp

And you’ll return to work
With a dissatisfying aftertaste
Thinking it isn’t
Your cup of tea

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Grows bigger the farther you move from its source

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It takes much of your youth to realise how young you are.

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The Scientist That Ought To Be

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live each day like it’s your last, and yet,
prepare like you would live for a long time.
In times of Corona,
do what you should have done in the best of times.

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those with no walls to cage them
are the real prisoners.

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If

If you don’t think of them
Often enough, while sharing stuff

If your eyes don’t search for theirs
When in a group, you laugh with and at others

If your ears don't go beyond the call of duty
To rescue their feelings from their silences

If your tongue loses its taste for theirs
And cares little for the bitter words it inflicts

If your nose doesn't yearn to breathe their signature smell
Like a dog wagging its tail for its human

If your swinging hands have no conversation
And pass each other by like strangers

Yours is the Earth and all the misery that's in it
And – which is more – you're falling out of love, my love!

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