us ne jun-tun padha
pas bhi ho gai

kuchh dinon ke liye nowelon hindi filmon chalittar saheli ki baaton
mazedar sapnon mein bhi kho gai

khud-bakhud apne har shauq se aashna ho gai
aur phir ek itwar ko

us ke donon bade bhaiyon bhabiyon ne
hisab aur chulhe alag jab kiye

us ne amman ko khud-e'timadi se dekha
ki ab us ke apne dupatte qamis aur shalwar chappal ke jode

namak mirch aalu matar pyaz lahsan chuqandar tamatar
podina, kadhi pat zira, masale,

chune mung mash aur masur, sari dalen
mahine mein do bar qima ya murghi ka salan

chhati class mein padhne wale ghabi chhote bhai ki tuition
kitabon ka kharcha

ye sab us akeli ki hai zimmedari
so jab naukri dhundte dhundte arziyan dete dete

kai din hue
to use yuni-centre mein ek aam si naukri mil gai

jab sawere naha kar chamakdar aaankhon mein kajal labon par lipstick
laga kar

wo ghar se nikalti
ghane gile baalon se aati hui garm khushbu se

kitnon ke dil dol jate
qadam dagmagate

wahan kaam zyaada tha lekin sab afsar
use dekh kar muskuraate aur izzat se har baat karte

na be-kar mein dantte aur na fazil sawalat karte
jo ek mehrbani mein tha sab se badh kar

badi tar nigahon se us ki taraf dekhta
par kabhi kuchh na kahta

ki is mehrban narm-guftar afsar pe biwi ki baaton ka
ek bar rahta

jise wo badi jaan-fishani se sahta
magar wo koi mah-ru bhi nahi thi

so thode bahut khate-pite gharon se
jo aate to bejod randuon ke rishte hi aate

koi ittifaqan jo kam-umr hota
to khwahish bahut kulbulati

magar kya wo karti
ki aison ki tankhwah bhi kam nikalti

jo hoti wo aadhi to pahle hi bisi mein dalti
so shadi jo karti to amman ko kyunkar khilati

wo chhote ko kaise padhati
ye sab soch kar aap hi aap wo muskuraati

badi khush-lihazi se inkar mein sar hilati
chhapar-khat pe amman ke panw dabaati

wahin baithe baithe hue ungh jati