darwaza pita ja raha hai
mere jism par zakhm aur nil, hare hote ja rahe hain

mujhe yaad aaya
gandi galiyan aur maile buton ki bhaari ediyan

mere aasab aur jism ko shal kar rahi thin
kandhon kulhon aur ranon par

bad-bu-dar danton ke nishan
dahakti salakhon se mitane ki koshish bhi ki gai

main unchi khidki se chhalang laga sakta tha!
magar sada kaghaz par dastakhat ke baghair

mujhe is suhulat ki ijazat bhi nahin di gai
wo sab mere zinda hathon se ziyaada

meri murda aankhon se khauf-zada the shayad
main ne unhen bata diya tha

ki main sirf be-maqsad zindagi
aur be waqat maut se darta hun

main ne kaha
zakhmi danton ke sath mujh se hansa nahin jata

lao kaghaz idhar lao
main us par ek zor-dar qahqaha likh kar dastakhat kar dun

mujhe yaad hai
wo thak haar ke behosh hone chale gae the

gandi galiyon aur buton ki
bhaari ediyon ke sath

darwaza phir pita ja raha hai!