use dukh ke sath byaha gaya
ki jab aankh khuli to sar par suraj jalti nand mein dhul

ise dhup ke sath byaha gaya
ki jo sham pade se din guzre tak soti thi

use nind ke sath byaha gaya
ki jo aaj ke khwab se kal ke khwab ka sauda karti thi

use byah ke sath byaha gaya
ki jo kasht uthati dhup mein baithi sae se baaten karti thi

use sae ke sath byaha gaya
mallahon ne us ki aankhon ki tarif nahin ki

bachche us ko dekh ke ruke nahin
ladkiyan us ke libas pe chaunkin nahin

use yun dafnaya jaise machhliyan jal se jal mein dalte hain
use yun nahlaya jaise barish aabi paudon ko nahla kar khush hoti hai

use sham ke sath widaa kiya
jab chand ghane baadal mein chhupta phirta tha

aur aankhen chunne wali machhliyan chuni gai thin
aur naw ne naw ke sath gunah kiya tha

mitti pani ke bete ye sab kuchh dekh chuke hote to dahshat se pahle mar jate
ye dariya din se darwaze par ruka hua hai

din jo aagahi hai
subh ko bistar tah karne

dhup mein toshak phailane
kapde bistar-band sukhane

raat ki batti gul karne
zanjir hila kar dekhne ki aagahi

ye dariya din se darwaze par ruka hua hai
ye dariya raat ko andar dar aaega

raat ajab pachhtawa hai
apne dusre ki pahchan ka

din ko ghar aane
ek nasl ka qarz utarne

kante chubh kar mar jaane ka pachhtawa
ye raat ye din kya tabad-tod guzarte hain

jab upar pani chalta hai
aur niche mitti soti hai

aur koi man mein pukarta hai
maula mujh ko baadal kar de

aur ek pichhli raat achanak chikh kisi ko aa leti hai
aur ghar ka ghar uth jata hai

aur din ke bahlawe mein raat bitai jati hai
is mausam pani aage aaega tum ghar mein mat sona

jab chhat ki khachchi jhuk jae
aur pani chhal-chhal dikhta ho

tab bahar sona achchha rahta hai
phir mausam apne mausam ho jate hain

aur rut kannya pazeb utar ke phenkti hai
phir koi kisi se ye nahin kahta

maula mujh ko baadal kar de
ya soti mitti

ya chalta pani
phir koi kisi se kuchh nahin kahta

phir sab apni sunte hain
phir baadal barish raat zamin sab ek chadar mein sote hain

aur ek chadar mein chalte hain
aur hote hain aur nahin hote hain

aur lafz ka wahid sarmaya khamoshi hai
aur jo lafz nahin sunte hain khamoshi bhi nahin sunte hain

jab pahlu-dar sutun se tek lagae ladki soti hai
aur hauz ke pas khade shahzade

aur un ki bandiyan
aur sara shahr

is aan kahin chupke se un mein ho jaana
aur nahin kahna main aaya hun

achchha hai
aagahi aur pachhtawe aur aisi maut se jo yaksar na-malum mein hai