waba ke dinon ka safar-nama

1
shahr khali karwa liya jata hai

aur waba ke dinon mein mohabbat
mamnu’ qarar pati hai

kiraya-namon se
kai shahron ke nam ghaeb ho

jate hain
aur

sahili aankhen
dak ke intizar mein

budhi hone lagti hain
march ki sada-bahaar sah-pahron mein

waqt
kabhi kabhi

jhurjhuri le kar uthta hai
aur phir unghne lag jata hai

train ek sunsan station par rok li jati hai
2

yahan
maut

kadwe baadamon ki
mahak ban kar phail rahi hai

sard aankhen be-rang chehre
us ki dahshat se

pathrane lage hain
purane darakhton

ki daradon mein
sanp base hain

sal-khurda haweli
kisi qadim peshin-goi ke

khauf mein dubi hai
aur

chandni bagh ko
jhadte patton ki

chadar ne dhanp liya hai
3

suno
agar boson pe ‘aed pabandi

khatm hone se pahle
main laut kar na aa saka to

to ye khat
meri aakhiri nishani samajh kar

mahfuz kar lena
4

ranj-bhari dopahar
gulabi shamon ki yaad mein

tulu' hoti hai
aur sae lambe ho kar

aankhon tak aa jate hain
qasba udas hai

ki is bar
nauroz ka tehwar

manaya nahin ja saka
gul-e-do-pahri ke phul

gamlon mein murjha gae hain
gharon ki khidkiyon par

jasti chadaren chadhi hain
kamre mein nim-tarik mohabbat ki

yaadgaren dhundla rahi hain
aur photo frames pe jami gard

siyah hone lagi hai
5

sabz lahren
jazire ka kinara katti hain

to surkh barish
khaprail ki chhaton par nachne lagti hai

main ye nazm
purani rum ki botal mein dal kar

samundar ke hawale kar raha hun
agar aakhiri suraj

ghurub hone se pahle
ye tumhein mausul ho jae

to meri taswir ke sath
wale frame mein laga dena

6
meri sari zamin

girwi rakh li gai
aur

pura aasman
sar se chhin liya gaya

wo waba ke ibtidai din the
jab tum

mere qarib aain
aur waba khatm hone se pahle

rukhsat ho gain
tumhaare jaane par

sara qasba
udasi se bhar gaya

lekin
main apni aankhon mein

do bund aansu bhi
ikatthe na kar saka

ek jhulasti sham mein
mujhe khurche hue

siyah lafzon ka wasiyyat-nama
unhon ne thamaya

jinhon ne
kisi raushan tehwar par

mujhe yaad nahin kiya tha
7

main yahan
ukhadti sanson mein paiwand

lagate thak chuka hun
pushtaini siyah chadar

mere shane udhed rahi hai
ek din main

isi chadar mein lipta
is zamin mein so jaunga

jahan
mujhe jaanne wala

koi nahin hai


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