zaeefee kee shikan-aalood chaadar se badan dhaanpe
vo apanee naujavaan potee ke saath
aahista aahista
sadak ke ek jaanib chal raha tha
gumaan hota tha
jaise dhoop ke kaandhe pe
chhaanv haath rakkhe chal rahee hai
cheekhatee ediyon par kadakadaatee haddiyaan gaade hue
vo jism ka malaba uthae ja raha tha
agarache paanv jumbish kar rahe the
magar boodhee kamar itanee khameeda thee
ki taangen jhoolatee baisaakhiyaan maaloom hotee theen
achaanak ek jeep aa kar rukee
ladake ne sheeshe ko utaara aur dekha
phool patalee shaakh se lataka hua tha
khazaana gaar mein tha
aur dahaane par faqat makadee ka jaala tha
hiran pinjare mein tha
aur us ke daravaaze par jang-aalood taala tha
vo bhooke sher kee maanind lapaka
aur us ladakee kee
neelee kaanch mein lipatee kalaee par shikanja kas diya
boodhe ne kandha chhod kar apanee kamar par haath rakkhe
apanee aankhon ko nazar dee
aur apane paanv par taangen laga leen
badan saalon kee deemak kee
musalasal kaar-faramaee se dhal jaate hain
lekin gairaten boodhee nahin hoteen
na jaane vo hava ka tez jhonka tha
ya boodhe paanv ke halke tavaazun kee dhilaee thee
phir ladake ke haathon kee daraazee thee
ki vo boodha
badee hee bebasee ke saath neeche gir gaya
aur us ke dhalake jism ne
kaalee sadak ke saath takaraate hee ik aavaaz dee
pachaasee saal neeche gir gae the
kabhee jab zalazala aae
to us kee jhurajhuree see mukhtalif umron ke ghar
girate hain aur aavaaz dete hain
nae seement mein lipatee nam-imaarat gir pade
to gad-gadaahat phail jaatee hai
plaaza munahadim ho jae to us ke dhamaake mein
musalasal chadachadaahat
saath detee hai
magar koee havelee gir pade
jis ke dar o deevaar par
kaee andhera goondh ke apanee haree poron se malatee hai
to us mein sadiyaan bolatee hain
aur guzaree saaton kee kaanpatee khaamoshiyaan aavaaz detee hain
jab us ne haath se dharatee daba ke
kohaniyon kee aazamaish kee
ki shaayad is tarah vo uth sake
to sirf apane sar ko gardan ka sahaara de saka
baalon kee lambee ek lat
maathe pe mutavaazee khudee shikanon mein
chhup kar kaanpatee thee
aur kuchh baalon ko taaza chot rangeen kar gaee thee
tahayyur bebasee ke saath
aankhon kee namee mein jazb ho kar
aahanee chashme ke
sheeshon mein larazata tha
khule honton mein daanton ke shigaafon ko
zabaan paivand karatee thee
dahan ke nam kinaare
kaan ke bun
surkh rukhsaaron ke bal
chaah-e-zaqan ke munh se latake
tah-ba-tah gardan ke silavat
aur un mein dolate paanee ke qatare
sab ke sab hilate the
bas raftaar mein ik doosare se mukhtalif the
havelee gir gaee thee
unnaabee gard ne deevaar o dar gahana die the
faseelen suramee taalaab ke andar giree theen
haram daravaaza paeen baag mein aundha pada tha
aur us kee keel mein ulajha hua
baareek parda hil raha tha
pachaasee saal neeche gir gae