Jumma

standing high above the ground
somewhere almost amidst the clouds
i peer down
breathless

partly the view
partly panting from the climb, and
partly waiting in sheer anticipation of you

you had said it would be a miracle...
i had dreamt otherwise
scared you see,
till i would see your figure rise

out from the shadows of the staircase below
it was like 'an affair to remember'
and a tad like 'sleepless in seattle'
i wish i was speaking to you, you know...

telling you what was running through this head of mine
around me, in this narrow marble turret, all seemed fine...
surrounding me was a filigreed wall,
and you could just gaze out at shahjahanabad
red sandstone glimmering amidst it all

and a whole horde of countless heads whizzing past
in the streets below
while in the lofty tower, wind blew my hair untidily in a familiar gust

i looked at my watch
it was past 12 long back
you werent coming i guess
i had been straining to see if i could see you cross the courtyard
and make your way up here
but the sun was making those thoughts digress

i really couldn't see you from up here today
moments passed giving rise to fleeting flashes
and i was sitting like Rapunzel without a prince i say!

too numb i got up to leave
the moment i turned to enter the exit
i saw instead
the curled mass of a head

resting his back against the wind
as if he had been lazily sitting behind me
... for eternity
and you said
'aye bosh, onekhkhon to darali...' 

,

b