Creative Experiments and More

अब ख्वाब तेरे रातों को सताते नहीं
अब रात भर कोई ख्वाब आते नहीं

अब किस बात का बुरा मानूं मैं
अब दोस्त तेरे नाम से चिढ़ाते नहीं

अब वक़्त ही वक़्त तो है पास मेरे
अब मुझसे मिलने तुम तो आते नहीं

अब जहाँ चाहूँ खर्च करूँ पैसे अपने
अब अपना हक़ कोई दिखलाते नहीं

अब मिटा दिए हैं सारे हर्फ़ अमित
अब सितारे कोई नाम लिखवाते नहीं

In response to:Reena’s Exploration Challenge #Week 50

The sun simmered red as it slunk towards the jagged horizon.  Tomorrow I would have to report to jury duty, but I had heard that it is generally not in the court’s best interest to spend their time and resources to track down people who don’t respond to their summons, so I could probably get away with blowing this off.  Sure I might show up for jury duty and be found exempt after some initial questioning and I know that serving on a jury is a civic duty and part of what keeps the American judicial system honest, but it is also inconvenient.  I thought of Maya Angelou when she said, “You only are free when you realize you belong no place you belong every place”, and maybe I belonged on the jury.  However, I could have this all wrong, as freedom and belonging seem like opposites…

When my marriage ended, it was not a pretty sight.

My wife never saw it coming. She thought she had me so trapped there was nowhere for me to go. Marriage was not about bliss and joy it was about servitude and abuse. Which was my experience and I admire those who find it otherwise.

Leaving was not easy, there were children involved, and the financial side of it would in time cripple me.

But there were other factors, such as belonging and freedom.

I left to save both myself and my children. No one should live in an abusive relationship. The impact on my children was devastating, and it took many years to repair that damage as three of my kids were teenagers when all this happened.

They knew what was going on and understood why I had to leave but being young they also wanted a mum and…