Reading poetry from my diaries sometimes brings a wry smile at being so naive, and at times contentment. The one written below was just after the Kargil War when the media was ecstatic at the victory, but do we call it a victory or a successful recovery after a lapse?

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Wo jung chidi baaton se bas

kya baat badhi, jo dhul udi

kya jeet hui jo jashn mane

kuch log marein kya fark pada?

Jo shaheed hua wo Sainik tha!

kya bhul gaye...

Tufaani raton ko wo naavik tha

bas adna sa ik shramik tha

wo duub gaya kya fark pada?

Hum sab to hain is paar kadhe

kuch log beech majhdaar marein

Use yaad kiya kuch pushp chadhe

Kuch moti gire kya fark pada?

Jo duub gaya wo sainik tha!

Yeh aahuti hi antim hai

Soch yahi praan diye,

Wo gutthi ansuljhi hi rahi,

kya isiliye.. ?

Angaaron par nange paanv chalege,

soch bagair us vaidhav ka

Jismein aaj ye dekh jale

Kuch chaain ke neend sote hain

Wo raato ko uthkar rote hain,

Hum unki peeda kya jaane

Jo saathi ko paakar khotein hain

Wah to bas ik naam tha,

Dhul gaya jo waqt se,

Syahi kathin tha raqt se

Wo mit gaya kya fark padaa?

Hum to nirbhaye ho jhoom rahe,

Vijaye ke bhram kalash ko choom rahe

Wey hain desh ke kanak khare,

Us jaise mein adhar mein aur khade

Aao unhe ab naman karein,

Jung nahi hum aman karein

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