aaj na udu ke neel-kunj mein svapn khojane jaoongee,
aaj chamelee mein na chandr-kiranon se chitr banaoongee.
adharon mein muskaan, na laalee ban kapol mein chhaungee,
kavi! kismat par bhee na tumhaaree aansoo bahaoongee.
naalanda-vaishaalee mein tum rula chuke sau baar,
dhoosar bhuvan-svarg _graamon_mein kar paee na vihaar.
aaj yah raaj-vaatika chhod, chalo kavi! vanaphoolon kee or.
chalo, jahaan nirjan kaanan mein vany kusum musakaate hain,
malayaanil bhoolata, bhoolakar jidhar nahin ali jaate hain.
kitane deep bujhe jhaadee-jhuramut mein jyoti pasaar?
chale shoony mein surabhi chhodakar kitane kusum-kumaar?
kabr par main kavi! rooongee, juganoo-aaratee sanjaoongee.
vidyut chhod deep saajoongee, mahal chhod trin-kutee-pravesh,
tum gaanvon ke bano bhikhaaree, main bhikhaarinee ka loon vesh.
svarna chala aha! kheton mein utaree sandhya shyaam paree,
romanthan karatee gaayen aa raheen raundatee ghaas haree.
ghar-ghar se uth raha dhuaan, jalate choolhe baaree-baaree,
chaupaalon mein krshak baith gaate “kahan atake banavaaree?”
panaghat se aa rahee peetavaasana yuvatee sukumaar,
kisee bhaanti dhotee gaagar-yauvan ka durvah bhaar.
banoongee main kavi! isakee maang, kalash, kaajal, sindoor, suhaag.
van-tulasee kee gandh lie halakee puravaiya aatee hai,
mandir kee ghanta-dhvani yug-yug ka sandesh sunaatee hai.
timatim deepak ke prakaash mein padhate nij pothee shishugan,
paradeshee kee priya baith gaatee yah virah-geet unman,
“bhaiya! likh de ek kalam khat mon baalam ke jog,
chaaron kone khem-kusal maanjhe thaan mor viyog.”
dootika main ban jaoongee, sakhee! sudhi unhen sunaoongee.
pahan shukr ka karnaphool hai disha abhee bhee matavaalee,
rahate raat ramaniyaan aaeen le-le phoolon kee daalee.
svarg-strot, karuna kee dhaara, bhaarat-maan ka puny taral,
bhakti-ashrudhaara-see nirmal ganga bahatee hai aviral.
lahar-lahar par laharaate hain madhur prabhaatee-gaan,
bhuvan svarg ban raha, ude jaate oopar ko praan,
pujaarin kee ban kanth-hilor, bhigo doongee ab-jag ke chhor.
kavi! asaadh kee is rimjhim mein dhanakheton mein jaane do,
krshak-sundaree ke svar mein atapate geet kuchh gaane do.
dukhiyon ke keval utsav mein is dam parv manaane do,
rooongee khalihaanon mein, kheton mein to harshaane do.
main bachchon ke sang jara kheloongee doob-bichhaune par,
machaloongee main jara indradhanu ke rangeen khilaune par.
titalee ke peechhe daudoongee, naachoongee de-de taalee,
main makee kee surabhee banoongee, pake aam-phal kee laalee.
venu-kunj mein juganoo ban main idhar-udhar musakaoongee,
harasingaar kee kaliyaan banakar vadhuon par jhad jaoongee.
sookhee rotee khaayega jab krishak khet mein dhar kar hal,
tab doongee main tripti use banakar lote ka gangaajal.
usake tan ka divy svedakan banakar giratee jaoongee,
aur khet mein unheen kanon-se main motee upajaoongee.
shasy-shyaamata nirakh karega krishak adhik jab abhilaasha,
tab main usake hrday-strot mein umadoongee banakar aasha.
ardhanagn dampati ke grih mein main jhonka ban aaoongee,
lajjit ho na atithi-sammukh ve, deepak turant bujhaoongee.
rin-shodhan ke lie doodh-ghee bech-bech dhan jodenge,
boond-boond bechenge, apane lie nahin kuchh chhodenge.
shishu machalenge doodh dekh, jananee unako bahalaayengee,
main phaadoongee hrday, laaj se aankh nahin ro paayegee.
itane par bhee dhan-patiyon kee unapar hogee maar,
tab main barasoongee ban bebas ke aansoo sukumaar.
phatega bhoo ka hriday kathor. chalo kavi! vanaphoolon kee or.
kavita kee pukaar