ek chahal-qadmi ke liye gali bani
samundar ke pas ye phulon ki kali bani
mein bhi bhule se yahan aa jata hun
meri umr chalne-phirne ghumne ki nahin hai
aurten bachche aur do ek budhe bhi aate hain
main yunhi kachhwe ki chaal ki tarah
aahista aahista aaya tha
ek jhadi ke pichhe do sae ham-aghosh the
ek ne ba-awaz-e-buland kaha:
kya tum ne is budhe ko dekha?
hansne ki aawaz aai
ye budha dharti ka bojh hai
main ne suna magar chup-chap chalta gaya
us ne shayad sahi kaha ye umr chalne-phirne ki nahin hai
magar main kya karun doctor ne mujhe sau qadam chalne ko kaha hai
main shurua se zindagi mein dharti ka bojh tha
main ne jawani kirm-e-kitabi ban ke guzari hai
main ne raaton ko jag jag kar padha hai
zindagi mein ilm ki justuju sab kuchh nahin hai
ye mujhe tab malum hua jab main dharti ka bojh ban gaya tha