mainne chhutapan mein chhipakar paise boye the,
socha tha, paison ke pyaare ped ugenge,
rupayon kee kaladaar madhur phasalen khanakengee
aur phool phalakar mai mota seth banoonga!
par banjar dharatee mein ek na ankur phoota,
bandhya mittee nen na ek bhee paisa ugala!-
sapane jaane kahaan mite, kab dhool ho gaye!
main hataash ho baat johata raha dinon tak
baal-kalpana ke apalar paanvadade bichhaakar
main abodh tha, mainne galat beej boye the,
mamata ko ropa tha, trshna ko seencha tha!
arddhashatee haharaatee nikal gayee hai tabase!
kitane hee madhu patajhar beet gaye anajaane,
greeshm tape, varsha jhoolee, sharaden musakaee;
see-see kar hemant kanpe, taru jhare, khile van!
aur jab phir se gaadhee, oodee laalasa liye
gahare, kajaraare baadal barase dharatee par,
mainne kautoohal-vash aangan ke kone kee
geelee tah yon hee ungalee se sahalaakar
beej sem ke daba diye mittee ke neeche-
bhoo ke anchal mein mani-maanik baandh diye ho!
main phir bhool gaya is chhotee-see ghatana ko,
aur baat bhee kya thee yaad jise rakhata man!
kintu, ek din jab main sandhya ko aangan mein
tahal raha tha,- tab sahasa, maine dekha
use harsh-vimoodh ho utha main vismay se!
dekha-aangan ke kone mein kaee navaagat
chhote-chhote chhaata taane khade hue hain!
chhaanta kahoon ki vijay pataakaen jeevan kee,
ya hatheliyaan khole the ve nanheen pyaaree-
jo bhee ho, ve hare-hare ullaas se bhare
pankh maarakar udane ko utsuk lagate the-
dimb todakar nikale chidiyon ke bachchon se!
nirnimesh, kshan bhar, main unako raha dekhata-
sahasa mujhe smaran ho aaya,-kuchh din pahile
beej sem ke maine rope the aangan mein,
aur unheen se baune paudho kee yah palatan
meree aankhon ke sammukh ab khadee garv se,
nanhen naate pair patak, badhatee jaatee hai!
tab se unako raha dekhata dheere-dheere
anaginatee patton se lad, bhar gayee jhaadiyaan,
hare-bhare tang gaye kaee makhamalee chandove!
belen phail gayee bal kha, aangan mein lahara,
aur sahaara lekar baade kee tattee ka
hare-hare sau jharane phoot pade oopar ko,-
main avaak rah gaya-vansh kaise badhata hai!
chhote taaron-se chhitare, phoolon ke chheete
jhaagon-se lipate laharon shyaamal lataron par
sundar lagate the, maavas ke hansamukh nabh-se,
chotee ke motee-se, aanchal ke booton-se!
oh, samay par unamen kitanee phaliyaan phootee!
kitanee saaree phaliyaan, kitanee pyaaree phaliyaan,-
patalee chaudee phaliyaan! uph unakee kya ginatee!
lambee-lambee anguliyon – see nanheen-nanheen
talavaaron-see panne ke pyaare haaron-see,
jhooth na samajhe chandr kalaon-see nit badhatee,
sachche motee kee ladiyon-see, dher-dher khil
jhund-jhund jhilamilakar kachapachiya taaron-see!
aah itanee phaliyaan tootee, jaado bhar khaee,
subah shaam ve ghar-ghar pakeen, pados paas ke
jaane-anajaane sab logon mein bantabaee
bandhu-baandhavon, mitron, abhyaagat, mangaton ne
jee bhar-bhar din-raat mahulle bhar ne khaee !-
kitanee saaree phaliyaan, kitanee pyaaree phaliyaan!
yah dharatee kitana detee hai! dharatee maata
kitana detee hai apane pyaare putron ko!
nahee samajh paaya tha main usake mahatv ko,-
bachapan mein chhih svaarth lobh vash paise bokar!
ratn prasavinee hai vasudha, ab samajh saka hoon.
isamen sachchee samata ke daane bone hai;
isamen jan kee kshamata ka daane bone hai,
isamen maanav-mamata ke daane bone hai,-
jisase ugal sake phir dhool sunahalee phasalen
maanavata kee, – jeevan shram se hanse dishaen-
ham jaisa boyenge vaisa hee paayenge.