Ek ajnabi laDki

sham sham jaisi thi raston pe halchal thi
kaam karne wale sab

apna farz ada kar ke
apne apne maidan se

kuchh thake to kuchh haare
apne ghar ko jate the

bhiD thi dukanon par
ghar ko lauTne wale

agli subh ki KHatir
ruk ke mal lete the

har kisi ko jaldi thi
aur sham Dhalti thi

ek hum the aawara
kal na tha koi sauda

is liye saDak par hum
dhire dhire baDhte the

bhagte hue logon par nigah karte the
aur un pe hanste the

apni mastiyon mein gum
be-niyaz duniya se

aage baDh rahe the hum
muskura rahe the hum

lekin ek manzil par
hum ThiThak gae ek dam

ek ajnabi laDki
hum pe ek nazar kar ke

KHub KHub hansti thi
munh ko pher leti thi

phir palaT ke wo hum ko dekhti thi hansti thi
jaane apne jaison par

us ki khilkhilahaT ne
kaun sa asar Dala

kis ne jaane kya socha
kis ne jaane kya samjha

hai KHabar mujhe apni
meri mastiyan sari

sham ke dhundalke mein
dur hoti jati thin

KHud pe sharm aati thi
aur wo shoKH si laDki

hum pe hansti jati thi
ab meri nigahon ko apna dhyan aaya tha

ajnabi si laDki ne dil bahut jalaya tha
ab main zat ka apni KHud tawaf karta tha

apne aks ko apne aaine mein takta tha
ab niyaz-mandi thi meri be-niyazi mein

ab wo ajnabi laDki
dusre ek aawara

par nigah karti thi
us ko dekh kar phir wo

be-panah hansti thi
wo ajib laDki thi wo ajib laDki thi