aaj bhi raat sone se pahle
mere bete ne mujh se kaha main use koi achchhi kahani sunaun

to main ne use ek dilkash jazire mein achchhe guzarte dinon ki kahani sunai
jo mujh se mere bap ne ye kahi aur is ne wirasat mein is dastan ko suna

hum ne bachpan mein sar-sabz-o-shadab nile jazire mein pariyon phalon aur phulon
chahakti hui bulbulon ki kahani suni thi

jazira samundar ki aazad lahren jahan nachti hain
jahan aman hi aman hai chin hi chin hai

har naya din bashaarat ki baraat ban kar utarta hai
mera beta jo soya hua hai kahin titliyon ke taaqub mein bechain hai

hum sabhi aankh munde hue titliyon ke tukka kab be bechain hain
ki shayad andhere mein lipte hue sabz baghon ke qisse ye nila jazira

kitabon mein danish ki har lauh par ghair mafhum alfaz hain
kai manchale manchalon ke giroh is jazire ke lambe safar par gae aur palat kar na aae

mera beta jo soya hua titliyon ke tukka kab be bechain hai
main use bhi safar par gaya aur palat kar na aata hua dekhta hun

hum ne sadiyon se panw ko hathon ko sinon ko be-dard mekhon se chhalni kiya
aur lahu ki tarah surkh lohe se apni zabanon ko dagha

magar wo jazira pahadon ki jaanib safar tha
ki chalte to wo dur hi dur jata

thaharte to jaise wo nazdik aata
yunhi nasl dar nasl hum ne andhere mein lipte hue in jaziron ki baaten kahin

aur un jhut ki jhaalron hashiyon ko uthae rakkha
nasl-dar-nasl hum qafila qafila bail kandhe badalte hasin jhut ki ye saliben uthate rahe

main ki jamid zehanat ka qail nahin
hum ne apne se pahlun ke ilm o farasat ki tashrih o tawil mein apni rag rag se

sari zehanat ko ghaarat kiya
hum ne apne buzurgon ki khiffat mitane chhupane ki khatir lahu momyai kiya

kisi ne kaha wo jazira samundar ke is par hai
aur hum nasl-dar-nasl dubi hui kashtiyan ban gae

kisi ne kaha wo jazira ufuq se pare aakhiri fasle ke dhoen mein chhupa hai
aur hum qahr sahra mein baraat bardar tuta hua qafila ban gae

magar wo jazira ajab daldalon ka safar hai
ki sau kos jaen to jaise faqat do qadam hi chale hain

magar wo jazira pahadon ki jaanib safar hai
ki jaen to wo dur hi dur jae

jo thahren to jaise wo nazdik aae