main us darakht ka bas aakhiri hi patta tha
jise hamesha hawa ke khilaf ladna tha

main zindagi mein kabhi is qadar na bhatka tha
ki jab zamir mujhe rasta dikhata tha

machine ban to chuka hun magar nahin bhula
ki mere jism mein dil bhi kabhi dhadakta tha

wo bachcha kho gaya duniya ki bhid mein kab ka
hasin khwabon ki jo titliyan pakadta tha

phir us ke baad parindon pe jaane kya guzri
main ek ped ki shakhon ko kat aaya tha

tamam-umr wo aaya nahin zamin pe kabhi
hawa mein us ne jo sikka jo kabhi uchhaala tha

mera wajud bhi shamil tha us ki mitti mein
mera bhi khet ki faslon mein koi hissa tha

na jane kitni surangen nikal gain us se
khada pahad bhi to aankh ka hi dhoka tha

jo baat baat pe khata raha khuda ki qasam
qasam khuda ki wahi aadmi to jhuta tha

pata karo ki abhi wo bada hua ki nahin
bade darakht ke niche jo nanha pauda tha

us ek sher pe aankhen chamak uthi us ki
wo sher jis mein ki roti ka zikr aaya tha

hamari zindagi thi ek talash pani ki
jahan pe ret ka 'dwij' ek chhanta dariya tha