bees saal baad
mere chehare mein ve aankhen laut aayee hain
jinase mainne pahalee baar jangal dekha hai :
hare rang ka ek thos sailaab jisamen sabhee ped doob gae hain.
aur jahaan har chetaavanee
khatare ko taalane ke baad
ek haree aankh ban kar rah gayee hai.
bees saal baad
main apane-aap se ek savaal karata hoon
jaanavar banane ke lie kitane sabr kee zaroorat hotee hai?
aur bina kisee uttar ke chupachaap
aage badh jaata hoon
kyonki aajakal mausam ka mizaaj yoon hai
ki khoon mein udane vaalee panktiyon ka peechha karana
lagabhag bemaanee hai.
dopahar ho chukee hai
har taraf taale latak rahe hain
deevaaron se chipake golee ke chharron
aur sadakon par bikhare jooton kee bhaasha mein
ek durghatana likhee gaee hai
hava se phadaphadaate hindustaan ke naqshe par
gaay ne gobar kar diya hai.
magar yah vaqt ghabaraaye hue logon kee sharm
aankane ka nahin
aur na yah poochhane ka –
ki sant aur sipaahee mein
desh ka sabase bada durbhaagy kaun hai!
aah! vaapas lautakar
chhoote hue jooton mein pair daalane ka vaqt yah nahin hai
bees saal baad aur is shareer mein
sunasaan galiyon se choron kee tarah guzarate hue
apane-aap se savaal karata hoon –
kya aazaadee sirf teen thake hue rangon ka naam hai
jinhen ek pahiya dhota hai
ya isaka koee khaas matalab hota hai?
aur bina kisee uttar ke aage badh jaata hoon
chupachaap.