laut aana tha
aur palat aayee thee main
us aangan
jahaan tab bhar ke doobate kapade
alaganee par jaane se pahale meree baat joh rahe the
pateele mein khaulatee daal ko
intazaar tha kalaee kee runajhun ka
chehara aur dainik dinacharya
aahista-aahista itane rangaheen ho gae the
ki un par nazar rakhana bahut zarooree ho gaya tha
jo kaam kabhee nahin kiya
vo ghanton, maheenon, saalon tak ab karoongee
par jo kaam haradam karana chaahatee thee
jo zindagee ko pataree par rakhata tha
roz kaam par nikalana, batiyaana, hariyaana
kitana doobhar hai ye sochana bhee ki vo ab
kabhee lautakar itana nahin aaega
jitana ghar se kolej kee dooree
ye man ke chhote-chhote raaz
na sambhale ja rahe avasaad
kitane anabole sanvaad
chhoote kee badee kasak hai
jaanatee hoon ye to rahegee
aur rahegee
andar kuchh khaulane aur
ufan jaane kee kashamakash bhee saath
is divaalee sochoongee
zindagee mein kuchh-kuchh un rangon
ke ud jaane ke baare mein
jo pichhale saal tak dostee ke
shed kaard mein die gae the
par phir
zindagee kee gaadee pataree par rakhane
aur anajie lamhon ke baare mein sochakar
doodh aur dhobee ka hisaab
tasallee se ek baar phir lagaatee hoon
aur sach mein
tarotaaza hone ke lie
din mein chaddar taan lambalet ho jaatee hoon.
retirement