shayad meri zamin
apne safar ke aakhiri padaw se aage nikal chuki hai

manzil par jalte hue falak-bos alaw ki hiddat kuchh itni tez hai
ki darakhton ke jadon se le kar

shakhon ke saron par aane wala baur tak
pasine aur garmi se hanp raha hai

waqt ki kathali mein ubalte hue haalat ke sath
ab ke kisi aql-mand ne hawa ke hath par rakkhe hue

tamam mausam bhi utha kar dal diye hain
mujhe yaad hai ki shuur ki pahli sidhiyon par panw rakhte hi

kis asbiyyati lamhe ne
mere kanon mein sargoshi ki thi

ki tum apne bap ki paidaish se bhi bahut pahle girwi rakh diye gae the
main us din se le kar aaj tak bahi-khaton ke

qarz wale khane se nahin nikal saka
aur mere hathon mein itni be-ikhtiyari bhar di gai hai

ki mere ghar ke darwaze ki chabiyan har roz phisalti hui
meri ungli ki aakhiri por par aa jati hain

aur main dahshatnak aankhon se khala mein dekhne lagta hun
ki jaise dur ghulami ke siyah manzar

aadhe se zyaada darsi kitabon se bahar nikal aae hain
khauf ke lambe nakhunon ne khak-zadon ke badan ki mitti aise khurach di hai

jaise makanon ki diwaron ka kachcha rang
tez barishon mein utar kar naliyon mein bah jata hai

gharon mohallon aur sadkon par nadida diwaren itni unchi utha di gai hain
ki hum ikatthe rahte hue ek sath chalte hue bhi

ek dusre ko dekh nahin sakte
aur kya kahun ki is sal dekhne sunne aur bolne par bhi namkin laga diya gaya

jaise hum sab apne apne badan mein tanha kar ke mar diye jaenge
wo ahd zyaada dur nahin

jab hamein koi nasl mohanjoddo aur hadappa ki tarah daryaft karegi
soch raha hun ki hamein kitne fit gahra khod kar nikala jaega

aur phir museum mein rakhi hui shishe ki almariyon mein
purani haddiyon ke niche ye tahrir jab koi sayyah rakh kar padhega

ki ye is daur ka insan tha jab taraqqi apne nuqta uruj se bhi aage thi
magar talim-yafta is maashre ke log ghaaron mein rahne walon se zyaada tahzib-yafta the

ye ek shaer tha
jo ehsas ki qabr mein

apni maut se pahle dafn kar diya gaya