mere watan teri khidmat mein le kar aaya hun jagah jagah ke tilismat des des ke rang purane zehn ki rakh aur nae dilon ki umang na dekh aisi nigahon se mere khali hath na yun ho meri tahi-damani se sharminda base hue hain mere dil mein saikdon tohfe bahut se gham kai khushiyan kai anokhe log kahin se kaif hi kaif aur kahin se dard hi dard jinhen utha nahin sakta har ek dasht-naward jo thailiyon ke shikam mein sama nahin sakte jo suitcase ki jebon mein aa nahin sakte bichhad ke tujh se kai ajnabi dayaron ne mujhe gale se lagaya mujhe tasalli di mujhe batae shab-e-tira-o-siyah ke raaz mere badan ko sikhae hazar istilzaz kuchh is tarah mere pahlu mein aae zohra-o-shams main muddaton yahi samjha kiya ki jism ka lams azal se ta-ba-abad ek hi masarrat hai ki sab fareb hai mera badan haqiqat hai aur is tarah bhi hua hai ki meri tanhai samundaron se lipat kar hawa se takra kar kabhi samet ke mujh ko nae jaziron mein kabhi pahad ke jharne ki tarah bikhra kar kabhi bitha ke mujhe aasman ke dosh-ba-dosh kabhi zamin ki tahon mein jadon mein phaila kar kuchh is tarah mere ehsas mein samai hai ki mujh ko zat se bahar nikal lai hai kuchh aisa khwab sa na-khwabiyan si tari thin badan to kya mujhe parchhaiyan bhi bhaari thin mere dayar kahan the tere tamashai ki didani tha mera jashn-e-abla-pai kuchh aise dost mile shahr-e-ghair mein ki mujhe kai farishta-nafas dushmanon ki yaad aai main sochta hun ki kam honge aise diwane na koi qadr ho jin ki na koi ruswai mujhe bujha na saki yakh-zada hawa-e-shumal mujhe dubo na saki qulzumon ki gahrai na jaane kaisa kurah tha mera wajud ki rose mere qarib zamin ghumti hui aai talash karte hue gum-shuda khazanon ko bahut se misr ke firaun maqbaron mein mile zaban-e-sang mein jo ham-kalam hote hain kuchh aise log purane musass mein mile buland-baam kalisa mein the wahi fankar jo khasta-haal masajid ke gumbadon mein mile mari thaki hui khwabidgi se nalan the wo rat-jage jo masail ki karwaton mein mile kai suragh nazar aae dastanon mein kai charagh kitabon ke hashiyon mein mile suna ke apne uruj-o-zawal ke qisse sabhi ne mujh se mera rang-e-dastan puchha dikha ke barf ke mausam mere buzurgon ne mizaj-e-sholgi-e-asr-e-naujawan puchha meri jhuki hui aankhen talash karti rahen koi zamir ka lahja koi usul ki baat guzar gai meri palkon pe jagti hui raat nadamaton ka pasina jabin pe phut gaya meri zaban pe tera nam aa ke tut gaya qubul kar ye nadamat ki is pasine ki har ek bund mein chingariyon ke sanche hain qubul kar mere chehre ki jhurriyan jin mein kahin junun kahin tahzib ke tamanche hain sambhaal mera subuk hadiya-e-gham-e-idrak jo mujh ko sat samundar ka zahr pi ke mila saqafaton ke har aatish-fishan mein ji ke mila talab kiya mujhe yunan ke khudaon ne janam liya mere sine mein dewtaon ne fareb-o-hirs ke har raste se mod diya aur is ke baad super market pe chhod diya jahan bas ek hi mear-e-adamiyat tha hujum-e-mard-o-zanan mahw-sair-e-wahshat tha ghadi ka husn nae radio ki zebai plastic ke kanwal nylon ki tie italiya ke nae boot hong-kong ke haar crisler ki nai range, tokyo ke singar har ek jism ko aasudgi ki khwahish thi har ek aankh mein asbab ki parastish thi ye inhimak qayaadat mein bhi nahin milta ye su-e-nafs-e-ibaadat mein bhi nahin milta mere watan mere saman mein to kuchh bhi nahin bas ek khwab hai aur khwab ki fasilen hain qubul kar meri maili qamiz ka tohfa ki is ki khak mein sajdon ki sar-zaminen hain na dhul sakega ye daman ki us ke sine par 'biyafra' ke muqaddas lahu ke chhinten hain ye wietnam ki mitti hai jis ke zarron mein payambaron ki damakti hui jabinen hain