padash

udas mausam ka bojh uthae
hawa ke bazu bhi thak gae hain
wo sabz-o-shadab tahniyon par
gulon ki khushbu ki gard tah-ba-tah jami hai


ye pahli barish ke narm qatre
pahadiyon ke bhi sakht sinon ko chir denge
ye reza reza bikher denge
chatan ki tarh


shadid-tar sakht hauslon ko
guman hota hai
ye afraatafari hai mere andar
ki zindagi ki haqiqaton ne


khayal ke ab tamam khake mita diye hain
ye roz-o-shab ki ghubar-alud sa’aton ne goya
haqiqi rang ab uda diye hain
ye pahli barish se qatra qatra barasta pani bhi


ret ke ek 'azim sailab mein badal kar
meri hi aankhon ke kharzaron ke khandaqon mein girega aa kar
ki ek muddat se chashm-e-be-khwab mein meri ashk bhi nahin hai
nam nahin hai


umid-afza kisi kiran ka bharam nahin hai
ye sab sazaen hain
us khata ki
ki waqt ne zehn se tere khal-o-khad mitae hain


aur aankhen
khayal ki sad-rang duniya mein
teri surat se na-ashna hain