Poetics of a Kashmiri Love Poem

Lovers walking side by side 

Holding hands by the bund

Telling each other their worth 

And at irregular intervals 

Walking distant and pretending 

not knowing each other.

And then again trying to catch up.

That's how a love poem is written in Kashmir:

At times obsessed with the craft
At times banal.

The Times They Are A-Changin'

Mubashir 

She asked politely 

"Why dont you write longer poems?"

"Kyunki"

I replied 

"Meri jaan 
Halaat kharab hai"

Doggerel

"On a scale of 1 to 10"

They asked 

"10 being the highest 

How lonely are you?"

I am as lonely as him

Who sleeps curled on the bonnets 

Of expensive cars

Thinking where have all the cats disappeared.

"10 being the highest"

I said 

"I am as lonely as any Delhi dog."