Scrabble

Mere paas hai hi kya? Kuchh shabd...tute tute
 जैसे बचपन में
Scrabble खेला हो हमने कभी
और उसकी टाइलें
वहीं पङी रह गयीं



 उस अधूरे शब्द का
बाज़ू मेज़ के ऊपर
पैर खाट के नीचे
और सर अब भी
Tile rack पर, सटीक,
बाकी के शब्द की टोह में।



चलो
फिर से Scrabble खेलते हैं,
एक हर्फ बनायेंगे, मुकम्मल..
U तुम लाना, S मैं लाऊंगा
बीच का सितारा खाली है
सब Double हो जायेगा।


Afterthought:
 बस एक ख्याल रखना,
आगे के खेल में
 उस S के आगे E कोई न लगाये -
 न तुम, न मैं।



Rough Translation:
What do i have, after all?
Just a few incomplete, broken words..
As if,
at some time in our childhood
we played Scrabble
and the remnants of the game
remained right there.


Parts of that incomplete word:
The arms, on the table
The feet, under the bed
and the Head, still on the tile rack - erect,
Awaiting
the rest of the word.


Come, let's play
Scrabble
again -
To make
a complete word.
You bring the "U"
and I'll bring the "S"
The star in the center is vacant
We will be rewarded
twice over.


Afterthought:
There is one thing, though,
for the rest of the time,
We must promise to never add
An "E" after that "S"