Apni apni raushni

waise us tarik jangal ke safar ke qabl bhi
hath mein us ke

yahi ek TimTimata kanpta nanha diya tha
kuchh to shohrat ki hawas ne

aur kuchh ahmaq bahi-KHwahon ne
is ki sada-lauhi ko saza di

us ke tiflana irada ko hawa di
la ke sarhad par KHuda-hafiz kaha

us ke KHizab-aluda sar ko ye saadat di
dhuan khai hui

bad-rang dastar-e-qayaadat di
to wo sina phulae

apni dastar-e-qayamat ko sambhaale
kanpte nanhe diye ko

ek mashal ki tarah uncha uThae
chal paDa tha

ghaaliban wo do-qadam hi ja saka hoga
ki pili aandhiyon ne

dast-e-larzan mein larazte us diye ko
naza ki hichki ata ki

us pe tera
chhin li dastar us ki

us ne aaghaz-e-safar ki sari KHush-fahmi
bikharti dekh kar

jab lauTna chaha
to ye mumkin nahin tha

har taraf tarikiyan thin
dafatan kuchh dur pichhe

us ne dekha
aasman se baat karti dhul ki diwar

baDhti aa rahi hai
aur kuchh qurbat hui to us ne dekha

wo kai the
un ke hathon mein bhaDakti mishalen thin

kasa-e-namnak se us ne
gharaz ki gandagi

jo us ko fitrat mein mili thi
ponchh Dali

aur fauran ghaza-e-masum
ye us ki aadat ban chuki thi

apne chehre par chaDhaya
ek hi maqsad tha yani

dhul uDate qafile se
ek mashal le sake wo

ghaza-e-masumiyat phir kaam aaya
qafila walon ne us ko

ek mashal de ke
apne sath chalne ko kaha

lekin kahan tak
wo nihayat tez-rau aur yak-qadam the

us ke naz paon
sukhi haDDiyon ke zor par kya sath dete

ek qadam ya do-qadam
phir thak gaya wo

rafta rafta
us ki wo mangi hui mashal

KHud apne rang-o-roghan kha rahi thi
ab faqat bhenchi hui mohtat muTThi mein

andhere ki chhaDi thi
baad-o-baran tez tufan

zehn-e-tiflak mein safar ke qabl
un dushwariyon ka

ek halka sa tasawwur bhi nahin tha
ab jo ye bar-aks surat ho gai thi

ro paDa wo
us ki paspai mein lekin hausla tha

daman-e-ummid ab bhi hath mein tha
dafatan us ne ye dekha

dhundli gahri raushniyon ke kai haalon mein
kuchh baDhte qadam nazdik hote ja rahe the

un ke honTon se KHamoshi chhin rahi thi
sust-rau the

phir bhi un ki chaal mein ek tamkanat thi
us ne socha

un nae logon ki tarah tez nahin hai
un ki hamrahi mein

qadmon ki naqahat be-asar hai
aur manzil ek sai-e-muKHtasar hai

ek nai ummid le kar
pusht par murda diye tarik mashal ko chhupa kar

guftugu mein maslahat aamez narmi ghol kar
us ne nae logon se ek mashal talab ki

uf wo kaisa qafila tha
kis tilsmati jahan ke log the wo

is qadar tarik rahon mein
baDi hi tamkanat se chal rahe the

aur hathon mein koi mashal nahin thi
raushni thi

un ki aankhon ke darichon se utar kar
apne qadmon se lipaT kar chalne wali

apni apni raushni thi
us ne socha

un ke qadmon se lipaT kar chalne wali
dhimi dhimi raushni ke aks

kya us ke liye kafi nahin hain
aaj bhi wo

pusht par murda diya tarik mashal ko chhupae
un nae logon ke pichhe

un ke qadmon mein larazti raushniyon ke sahaare
Thokaren khata sambhalta sochta hai

raushni to KHarji shai hai
diya hai

ya bhaDakti mishalen hain
aaKHirash ye raushni

un ajnabi logon ki aankhon se utar kar
un ke qadmon se lipaT kar

chalne wali raushni kaisi hai
kaisi raushni hai