I finally realized that I need her, that I want to see her and talk to her about all kinds of things. But I haven't been able to track her down. I suppose I should have started looking for her a lot sooner. It might have been much easier then.
—Tengo
Haruki Murakami, 1Q84, Book 2
इश्क़
इश्क़ हरा देता है सब को, मैं हारा हुआ हूं
खारे इश्क़ से शक्कर सा मीठा हुआ हूं
ऐ तेज़ हवा ! मैं सूखा पत्ता सामने तेरे हूं
जानता नहीं किस तरफ़ जा कर मैं गिरूं
"It's just that I need to speak to someone.
Not someone. You"
—One Day
I seemed to have a crush on you
Even when it's forbidden and you know the truth
I pretend I do not look at you
With fondness and nothing new
चुपके चुपके रात दिन आँसू बहाना याद हैं
हम को अब तक आशिकी का वो ज़माना याद हैं
I still recall when first I fell in love
The silent tears I shed, all night, all day.
~ Hasrat Mohani, Translated by Ralph Russell
Shams smiled fleetingly. “Every man has a degree of womanliness inside.”
“Even the ones who are manly men?”
“Especially those, my dear,” Shams said, garnishing his words with a wink and dropping his voice to a whisper, as if sharing a secret.
—The Forty Rules of Love
"Marry me," he whispered, stroking her long neck. ... "And that is an order, not a request," he said kissing her open mouth, her lips still gaping in surprise.
— Rishi Vishwamitra aka Kaushik
Menaka's Choice, Kavita Kané
I want to give love a chance again.
क्या आप मुझ पर खफ़ा हैं?
ये सासे जो पुकारती है मुझे, आपके हैं?
नस-नस में जो खून बेह रहा हैं,
न जाने कहाँ जा रहा हैं
काश इस जिंदगी ने बोल दी होती
सासे लेना क्या गुनाह हैं मेरी?