raaste kee mushkil – a poem by Kumar Ambuj

aap mez ko mez kee tarah aur ghaas ko ghaas kee tarah dekhate hain
is duniya mein se nikal jaana chaahate hain chamachamaate teer kee tarah
to mushkil yahaan se shuroo hotee hai ki phir bhee aap hona chaahate hain kavi
kuchh police-adheekshak hokar, kuchh kiraana vyaapaaree sangh adhyaksh hokar
aur kuchh to mukhyamantree hokar, kuchh ghar-grihasthee se nibat kar
bachchon ke shaadee-byaah se faarig hokar hona chaahate hain kavi
ki jeevan mein kavi na hona chun kar bhee ve sab ho jaana chaahate hain kavi
kavi hona ya vaisee aakaanksha rakhana koee buree baat nahin
lekin tab mumakin hai ki ve vaanijyik kar adhikaaree ya food inspectar nahin ho paate
jaise tamaam kavi tamaam yogyata ke baavajood tahaseeladaar bhee nahin hue
jo ho gae ve naukaree se nibaah nahin pae
aur kabhee kisee kavi ne ichchha nahin kee aur na afasos jataaya
ki vah jilaadheesh kyon nahin ho paaya
aur kuchh kaviyon ne to itanee zor se laat maaree ki kursiyaan koson door jaakar gireen
yah sab padh-likh kar, aur jaan kar bhee, hin‍dee mein M.A. karake, vibhaagaadhyaksh ho kar
ya phir patrakaar se sampaadak ban kar kuchh log tay karate hain
ki chalo, ab kavi hua jae
aur jaldee hee phailane lagatee hai unakee kh‍yaati
kavitaon ke saath chhapane lagatee hain tasveeren
phir bhee apane ekaant mein ve jaanate hain aur baaqee sab to samajhate hee hain
ki jinhen hona hota hai kavi, chitrakaar, sitaaravaadak ya kalaakaar
unhonne galatee se bhee nahin socha hota hai ki ve vidhaayak ho jaen ya koee ohadedaar
ya unakee bhee ek dukaan ho mahaaraana prataap nagar mein sarebaazaar
to aakaanksha karana bura nahin hai
yah na samajhana badee mushkil hai ki jis raaste se aap chale hee nahin
us raaste kee manzil tak pahunch kaise sakate hain.