to kya
zindagi ne tumhein wo sabhi kuchh diya

jis ki tum aarzu-mand thin
ki meri tarah

tamanna ke kashkol khali rahe
aur bakhshish ka lamha

tumhein aur nadar kar ke guzar bhi gaya
mujhe ye bataya gaya hai

tumhaari umidon ki shadab faslon pe
jab sang-bari hui

to tute hue khwab ki kirchiyan
apne ehsas ki sari viraniyon mein chhupa kar bhi

tum ne ye zahir kiya
jaise tumhaare qadam zamin par nahin pad rahe hon

jaise tum aasmanon mein parwaz karti rahi ho
garche aati jati hui ek ek sans mein

koi aawaz tum se ye kahti rahi
hina-rang hathon mein jhute nagine

tumhaari kadi sadhna ka sila to nahin
jis ke qadmon mein tum

apne sajdon ke moti lutati ho
wo

tumhaari parastish ke laeq khuda to nahin
to ab tum pe zahir hua!

khwab tabir ke rang mein jagmagate nahin
sarabon ki surat mein aadarsh

jo hath aate nahin
main to ye chahta tha

ki har mod par
tum ko la-hasili ke pareshan-kun tajrabe

se bacha kar rakhun
magar meri kamzor chahat

tumhein ibtida-e-safar mein
shikaston se do-chaar hote hue

dekhti rah gai
aur kuchh kar na pai

ab?
kisi samt bhi jao

kanton bhari rah se hi guzarna padega
apne aadarsh ki rifaton se

utarne ki khatir
ruh par jabr karna padega

aur agar tum ne
jhuti masarrat ka rangin labaada pahan bhi liya

to apne pindar ka samna kis tarah kar sakogi?