bachcho, hum par hansne walo, aao, tumhein samjhaen
jis ke liye is haal ko pahunche, us ka nam bataen

rup-nagar ki ek rani thi, us se hua lagaw
bachcho, us rani ki kahani sun lo aur so jao

us par marna, aahen bharna, rona, khudhna, jalna
aab-o-hawa par zinda rahna, angaron par chalna

hum jangal jangal phirte the us ke liye diwane
rishi bane, majnun kahlae, lekin haar na mane

barson kya kya chane chabae, kya kya papad bele
lahron ko hamraaz banaya, tufanon se khele

daftar bhule, bistar bhule, pine lage sarab
pal bhar aankh lage, to aaen ulte sidhe khwab

nind mein kya kya dekhen, tadpen, roen, uth uth jaen
so jaane ki goli khaen, injection lagwaen

aakhir wo ek khwab mein aai sun ke hamara haal
koyal jaisi baat thi us ki, hirni jaisi chaal

kahne lagi, koi ji, tera haal na dekha jae
main ne kaha ki rani apni parja ko bahlae

kahne lagi ki tu kya lega: sona, chandi, haar
main ne kaha ki rani, tere mukhde ki talwar

phir dil ke aangan mein utra us ka sara rup
us chehre ki shital kirnen, us mukhde ki dhup

dhup padi, to khul gai aankhen, khul gaya sara bhed
ghash khaya, to daude aae munshi, pandit, wed

wo din hai aur aaj ka din hai chhut gaya khana pani
chhut gaya khana pani, bachcho, ho gai khatm kahani

meri kahani mein lekin ek bhed hai, us ko pao
chand ko dur hi dur se dekho chand ke pas na jao

na apne ghar hi us ko bulao