Nazm

mashkize ka pani usi ret par Dal do
aur nange panw mere pichhe chale aao

main ne sara pani ret par gira diya
aur nange panw us ke pichhe ho liya

kai sahra hum ne ubur kar Dale
zahrile kanTon aur zahrile kiDon par panw rakhte hue

hum aage baDhte rahe
achanak mujhe mahsus hua

ki main to sahra mein akela hi chala ja raha hun
to kya us ne mere sath dhoka kiya?

main to sahra ke bich samt ka tayyun karne se bhi qasir tha
wo chand qadam aage hi to tha mujh se

phir wo achanak jaane kis bil mein chhup gaya
main ne use bahut pukara

lekin meri aawaz to sahra mein aise bikhar kar rah gai
jaise mere mashkize ka pani

ret mein jazb ho gaya tha
jab tum sahra mein apna mashkiza chhoD aae

jab tum ek sanp ke sath ho liye
aur tumhein pata hi na chala ki wo kis bil mein ja chhupa hai

to tumhaare pair ragaDne se
sahra mein chashma to ubalne se raha

mere mashkize mein pani nahin tha
mere panw nange the

mujhe kisi manzil ka pata nahin tha
aur kisi samt ka tayyun tak karne se

main qasir tha
mere pas bas ek hi rasta rah gaya tha

so main ne apne panw se kanTa nikala
aur ret mein bo diya

chand ghanTon mein wo ek saya-dar daraKHt mein tabdil ho gaya
aur us mein ajib o gharib phal paida ho gae

main zahrile
aur ghair zahrile phalon mein tamiz nahin kar sakta tha

aur mere liye
koi mann o salwa bhi aasman se utarta nahin tha

so main ne in phalon ko raghbat se khaya
itne mein sham ho gai

aur sahra ki tariki mein
sahra ke zahrile kiDe makoDe

apne bilon se nikal kar mere badan se chimaT gae
kursi par nim-daraaz ho jata hai

hum donon
koi baat nahin karte

na cigarette jalane ke liye
ek dusre ko lighter pesh karte hain

us ka bas chale to wo mujhe halak kar de
mere bhi us ke bare mein

yahi kuchh jazbaat hain
is ke bawajud

jab bhi main use bulata hun
wo aa jata hai

mere bulawe mein na israr hota hai
na dhamki

na koi shart
ye wo bhi jaanta hai

mere bulawe mein
kisi KHwahish ki ramaq nahin

hum donon
kisi bhi din

apne qarib tarin sutun ki oT le kar
ek dusre ko nishana banane ki koshish kar sakte hain

lekin
zinda bachne wale ke muqable mein

mar jaane wala
ziyaada KHush-nasib sabit hoga

bachne wale ko
halak hone wale ka jism

uTha kar chalna hoga
us ke KHun aalud kapDe utar kar

use saf suthre kapDe pahnane honge
marne wale ki lash ko

kisi bhi qism ke KHurdbini kiDon se
mahfuz rakhne ke liye

jatan karna honge
phir us ki lash ko

sahaara de kar
kisi aaram-dah kursi par baiThana hoga

us ke munh se cigarette lagana hoga
use lighter bhi pesh karna hoga

balki us ki maut ko
apni maut samajhte hue

do qabren
barabar khodni hongi

basen aur karen un ke qarib aa kar
daraKHton ko chhuti hain

aur unhen
saDak ke daen ya baen haTane mein juT jati hain

lekin usi dauran
sharab ki bu unhen bhi

bad-mast kar deti hai
wo bhi saDak ke bichon-bich nachne lagti hain

phir to bal khati saDak bhi
uTh khaDi hoti hai

aur Thumke lagane lagti hai
ghar tharthara uThte hain

un mein soe hue makin
haDbaDa kar jag jate hain

unhen apni aankhon par yaqin nahin aata
sharabi daraKHton

nashe mein dhut bason, karon
aur bad-mast nachti saDak ko

shahr mein basne wale logon ki
koi parwa nahin

ye dekh kar
aadmi ka nasha

hiran ho jata hai