jab raat
khwabon ke silsile le kar utarti hai

to shab-zade apne khwab saja kar so jate hain
magar meri viran aaankhon se

nind ye kah kar rukhsat ho jati hai
ki mujhe sirf un aaankhon mein raat katni hai

jahan khwabon ki hukmarani hai
magar use ye kaun batae ki

mera khwab ek muddat se lapata hai
tab se meri aaankhon ne nind ka zaiqa nahin chakha

main ne shab ko apne gum-shuda khwab ki alamaten batain
to wo dhire se muskura di aur boli:

main ne sab se anmol khwab tumhaari aaankhon mein sajaya tha
ye kah kar shab ne har aankh mein chhape mare

magar mera khwab baramad na hua
is ne kaha:

tumhaara khwab tumhaare andar se churaya gaya hai
agar tum apni nasl ko be-khwabi ke azab se bachana chahte ho

to tumhein apna khwab khud hi dhundhna padega
tab se main rat-jagon ki nigahbani mein

apne andar se
apna chori-shuda khwab talash kar raha hun