Pachasi sal niche gir gae

zaifi ki shikan-alud chadar se badan Dhanpe
wo apni naujawan poti ke sath

aahista aahista
saDak ke ek jaanib chal raha tha

guman hota tha
jaise dhup ke kandhe pe

chhanw hath rakkhe chal rahi hai
chiKHti eDiyon par kaDkaDati haDDiyan gaDe hue

wo jism ka malba uThae ja raha tha
agarche panw jumbish kar rahe the

magar buDhi kamar itni KHamida thi
ki Tangen jhulti baisakhiyan malum hoti thin

achanak ek jip aa kar ruki
laDke ne shishe ko utara aur dekha

phul patli shaKH se laTka hua tha
KHazana ghaar mein tha

aur dahane par faqat makDi ka jala tha
hiran pinjre mein tha

aur us ke darwaze par zang-alud tala tha
wo bhuke sher ki manind lapka

aur us laDki ki
nili kanch mein lipTi kalai par shikanja kas diya

buDhe ne kandha chhoD kar apni kamar par hath rakkhe
apni aankhon ko nazar di

aur apne panw par Tangen laga lin
badan salon ki dimak ki

musalsal kar-farmai se Dhal jate hain
lekin ghairaten buDhi nahin hotin

na jaane wo hawa ka tez jhonka tha
ya buDhe panw ke halke tawazun ki Dhilai thi

phir laDke ke hathon ki daraazi thi
ki wo buDha

baDi hi bebasi ke sath niche gir gaya
aur us ke Dhalke jism ne

kali saDak ke sath Takraate hi ek aawaz di
pachasi sal niche gir gae the

kabhi jab zalzala aae
to us ki jhurjhuri si muKHtalif umron ke ghar

girte hain aur aawaz dete hain
nae cement mein lipTi nam-imarat gir paDe

to gaD-gaDahaT phail jati hai
palaza munhadim ho jae to us ke dhamake mein

musalsal chaDchaDahaT
sath deti hai

magar koi haweli gir paDe
jis ke dar o diwar par

kai andhera gundh ke apni hari poron se malti hai
to us mein sadiyan bolti hain

aur guzri saaton ki kanpti KHamoshiyan aawaz deti hain
jab us ne hath se dharti daba ke

kohniyon ki aazmaish ki
ki shayad is tarah wo uTh sake

to sirf apne sar ko gardan ka sahaara de saka
baalon ki lambi ek laT

mathe pe mutawazi khudi shiknon mein
chhup kar kanpti thi

aur kuchh baalon ko taza choT rangin kar gai thi
tahayyur bebasi ke sath

aankhon ki nami mein jazb ho kar
aahani chashme ke

shishon mein larazta tha
khule honTon mein danton ke shagafon ko

zaban paiwand karti thi
dahan ke nam kinare

kan ke bun
surKH ruKHsaron ke bal

chah-e-zaqan ke munh se laTke
tah-ba-tah gardan ke silwaT

aur un mein Dolte pani ke qatre
sab ke sab hilte the

bas raftar mein ek dusre se muKHtalif the
haweli gir gai thi

unnabi gard ne diwar o dar gahna diye the
fasilen surmai talab ke andar giri thin

haram darwaza pain bagh mein aundha paDa tha
aur us ki kil mein uljha hua

barik parda hil raha tha