Karb

roz jab subh ko
apne ghar se nikalta hun main

raste mein koi dost mil jae
ya jaan-pahchan wala

main baDi garm-joshi se us ki taraf
baDh ke jata hun

aadab karta hun
aur muskuraata bhi hun

(jaise main aaj ke din
aur ghar pe sab KHairiyat hai)

mujh ko har har qadam par
kai tarah ke log milte hain

jo unchi dukanon pe baiThe hue hain
kai aise afrad

main jaanta hun wo kitne ghabi hain
magar kursiyon par DaTe hain

unhen log
jhuk jhuk ke taslim karte hain

(wo log
jo un se behtar hain

tahzib-o-shaistagi mein
danish-o-agahi mein

magar is ko kya kije
un ki qismat mein

wo KHas kursi nahin hai
ki jis par koi masKHara baiTh jae

to us ko koi masKHara kah na pae
main ye mahsus karta hun

KHud mere andar
koi baiTha hua

kah raha hai:
ji mein aati hai

in masKHaron par hansun
khokhle aadmi jo bhi hain

un se kah dun
ki tum khokhle ho

apni kursi pe baiTha hua
koi ahmaq

unT ki tarah se bilbilae
to kah dun

ki kya bak rahe ho?