khilaunevaala – a poem by Subhadra Kumari Chauhan

vah dekho maan aaj
khilaunevaala phir se aaya hai.
kaee tarah ke sundar-sundar
nae khilaune laaya hai.

hara-hara tota pinjade mein
gend ek paise vaalee
chhotee see motar gaadee hai
sar-sar-sar chalane vaalee.

seetee bhee hai kaee tarah kee
kaee tarah ke sundar khel
chaabhee bhar dene se bhak-bhak
karatee chalane vaalee rel.

gudiya bhee hai bahut bhalee-see
pahane kaanon mein baalee
chhota-sa tee set hai
chhote-chhote hain lota thaalee.

chhote-chhote dhanush-baan hain
hain chhotee-chhotee talavaar
nae khilaune le lo bhaiya
zor-zor vah raha pukaar.

mun‍noo ne gudiya le lee hai
mohan ne motar gaadee
machal-machal sarala karatee hai
maa ne lene ko sari

kabhee khilaunevaala bhee maa
k‍ya sari le aata hai.
sari to vah kapade vaala
kabhee-kabhee de jaata hai

am‍ma tumane to laakar ke
mujhe de die paise chaar
kaun khilaune leta hoon main
tum bhee man mein karo vichaar.

tum sochogee main le loonga.
tota, bil‍lee, motar, rel
par maan, yah main kabhee na loonga
ye to hain bach‍chon ke khel.

main to talavaar khareedoonga maa
ya main loonga teer-kamaan
jangal mein ja, kisee taadaka
ko maarunga raam samaan.

tapasee yagy karenge, asuron-
ko main maar bhagaoonga
yon hee kuchh din karate-karate
raamachandr main ban jaoonga.

yahee rahoonga kaushal‍ya main
tumako yahee banaoonga.
tum kah dogee van jaane ko
hansate-hansate jaoonga.

par maa, bina tum‍haare van mein
main kaise rah paoonga.
din bhar ghoomoonga jangal mein
laut kahaan par aaoonga.

kisase loonga paise, roothoonga
to kaun mana lega
kaun p‍yaar se bitha god mein
manachaahee cheenjen dega.