kabhi bachpan mein jo padhte the pariyon ki kahani mein
pari koi tilsmati asar se
nim-shab sare khilaunon ko
badal deti thi jiti-jagti makhluq mein
ab yun hua
aise hi nadida asar ne
ek ghar mein
kuchh khilaunon ko ata ki zindagi
aur lamha bhar mein in ko hansne bolne
aur subh ki pahli kiran tak
zinda rahne par kya qadir
unhi mein ek tha aisa khilauna
jo khilaunon se bhare kamre mein tanha tha
use bachche kabhi aaghosh mein lete
kabhi thokar lagate the
use sofe ke pichhe phenkte aur bhul jate the
ye un ka khel tha aur us ki qismat
aaj wo mazlum bhi pal-bhar mein zinda ho gaya tha
wo khilauna
ab koi dard-ashna be-laus sathi chahta tha
us ne apne pas hi rakhi hui
gudiya ki jaanib
dosti ka hath phailaya
magar gudiya laraz kar hat gai pichhe
ki jaise koi dast-e-tifl-e-nadan
is ki jaanib badh raha ho
jo use iza bhi dega
aur shayad tod bhi dega
use be-mehr bachchon se
jo dukh milte rahe the
un ki talkhi ne
use achchhe bure ke farq se
aur sachche jazbon ki pazirai se begana kiya tha
wo shayad rishta-e-ehsas ki us mehrban tasir se na-ashna bhi thi
jo aankhon mein chamak aur zindagi mein rang bharti hai
shikasta-dil khilauna hath wapas khinch kar
ab subh ki pahli kiran ka muntazir hai
jab fusun tute aur is se zindagi chhin jae
wo phir ek be-ehsas aur be-jaan shai ban jae