tum ek hi libas nahin pahan sakte
aur wo hai safar

27-sal se is arsa-e-be-zamini par
main safar hi to pahanta aaya hun

ek bar ek qasbe mein
ek nannhi si bachchi ne mujh se

meri udasi puchhi thi
meri udasi mere andar thi

aur bachchi ka matlab bahar tha
bahar ki quwwat ne meri chhipi hui rotiyan chhin lin

tum ne kahin se sun liya
ki jo mitti gosht se chipak jati hai

us se ek atal makan banta hai
so tum atal makan mein atal ban gae

tum ne mujh se meri shahriyat chhin li
kyunki

main un logon mein se nahin tha
jinhon ne mahz auraton ke nam

sunghne mein kai baras guzar diye
phir shayad unhen koi chor-darwaza mil gaya

kuchh log jo jail se chhut ke aae the
unhon ne apne gharon ki salakhon ko

nile rang se rang diya
kyunki nile rang ki nind

aaram aur wahm ke darmiyan
shayad ek tank hoti hai

main ne kabhi tonic nahin piya
mere pas to kuchh jama hui rotiyan thin

unhin mein kahin khane baitha tha
ki shahron ke chaurahon ki samt

jati hui dhup bahut tez hogi
ek mulk ka dhuan

dusre mulk ki faslon mein sarayat kar gaya
tum nahin jaante ki ye sab kuchh kyun hua

tum apne makan mein atal rahe
main aage chal diya

mujhe chor-darwaza nahin mila