He sat huddled in a corner, ears shut tight
A handsome face of eighteen, fear running in eyes.
Never had he imagined, his country so beautiful would become a battleground; 
His loved ones all gone, buried underground.
        
...
    
        वो  रोज़  आसमान में सजा 
टिमटिमाते  तारों में  घिरा
फिर  भी मुझे निहारता था
कसूर मेरा नाम था, जो  प्यार  हो  गया।
        
...
    
        I walked upon the common path that  was laid out for me 
  And as I reached the farther end, I could   see, another road, 
  coming  by.
        
...
    
                    My Country, A Battleground
                    
                    He sat huddled in a corner, ears shut tight
A handsome face of eighteen, fear running in eyes.
Never had he imagined, his country so beautiful would become a battleground; 
His loved ones all gone, buried underground.
Opening his eyes a little, he smiled
As if remembering the good times.
For this was the place he had enjoyed
Danced   and merried  a several times.
Faces so joyful all around.
Music playing in  the common ground; 
Alas! they could not see the hovering clouds.
Who had invited  war he wanted to ask? 
There   were all  in happiness and no hatred prevailed in his town.
Then how did it come to this? 
Missiles like shooting stars pouring down; 
Tearing off human bodies, leaving cripples all around.
Someone please stop the commotion he cried! 
And then he heard another explosion! 
Someone please stop the war he whispered! 
As he breathed his last, he smiled! 
Hoping for peace in another life! 
                                  Arti
                
The heart cries fly, fly, escape the trammels of attachment and yet the wings refuse to obey; for the golden cage of worldly connections is a familiar one and the open sky is always a distant dream.
Nice..