yun to lamhon ke is tasalsul mein ab se pahle bhi umr katti thi mom-batti ki raushni mein nazar hafize ke waraq ulatti thi ret ke sogwar tilon par chandni raat bhar bhatakti thi aaj lekin thake hue dil par jism ka tar tar bhaari hai sham ki dam-ba-khud hawaon par subh ka intizar bhaari hai maqbaron se uthi hui aandhi tahniyon se ulajh ke chalti hai khushk palkon pe aansuon ki umid pai-ba-pai karwaten badalti hai ek ek aks sans leta hai ek ek yaad aankh malti hai jaise sahra mein sar jhukae hue hajiyon ki qatar chalti hai zard chingariyon ke daman mein yun sulagta hai sard aatish-dan jaise bachchon ki bhuk ke aage ek nadar bap ka iman dam-ba-khud khamushi mein dhire se zard patte qadam uthate hain yaad ke karwan andhere mein khwab ki tarah sarsaraate hain khidkiyon ke dare hue chehre apni aahat se kanp jate hain dil ki qurban gah ke aage ek tuta hua diya bhi nahin kisi pipal ke narm sae mein koi patthar ka dewta bhi nahin ruh ke kasa-e-gadai ko chaar tukdon ka aasra bhi nahin lambi chaudi sadak ke daman par qumqume sahme sahme jalte hain jaise aksar bade gharanon mein faqa-kash rishta-dar palte hain sochta hun ki is dayar se dur ek aisa bhi des hai jis ki raat taron mein saj ke aaegi subh hogi to ghar ke goshon mein teri masum muskurahat ki narm si dhup phail jaegi