Apni raat lai jao

mere ghar ke samne
raat ki gaDi ka ek pahiya nikal gaya

mera beTa us pahiye se khelta hai
gaDi ko lene koi nahin aaya

us din se mere ghar mein
aKHbar nahin aaya

dudh nahin aaya
parinda nahin aaya

us din ke baad
main ne apni nazm mein koi shikar nahin khela

main apni nazm ke andar KHamosh ho gaya
aur meri nazm aahista aahista mere liye pinjra ban gai

raat ki gaDi ko lene koi nahin aaya
unhon ne jaan-bujh ke aisa kiya hai

wo mere dil mein bachi-khuchi chizon ko shikar karna chahte hain
shayad wo naqsha churana chahte hain

kuchh log raat ki gaDi se niche utre
mere anaj ke kamre aur meri nazmon ki talashi li

apni hifazat ke liye
kuchh hathiyar main ne in nazmon mein chhupa rakkhe the

ab mere pas chand Dare hue lafzon aur chhan-bure ke siwa kuchh nahin
unhon ne mere beTe ki kitaben chhin lin

aur apni likhi hui kitaben de din
aur kaha hum tumhaare hi ghar mein

tumhaari nazmon ke liye ek muKHbir tayyar karna chahte hain
raat ki gaDi ka pahiya mujhe apne sine mein utarta hua mahsus hua

mere ghar ki har shai pahiye mein badal gai
hatta ki meri baaten bhi pahiya ban gain

aur phir ye pahiya meri tariKH ban jaega
is tariKH se bahut sare bachche paida honge

wo raat ki is gaDi ko khinchenge
lekin us waqt tak raat

apni jaDen chhoD chuki hogi