Kaanch Ke Tukde Bankar Bikhar Gayi Hai Zindagi Meri,

Kisi Ne Sameta Hi Nahi Haath Zakhmi Hone Ke Darr Se!

raat to kali thi lekin raat guzar kar subh jo aai
aur ghate kam-tab ujale aur badhe zulmat ke sae
ab main sahar ke naghme ga kar khud ko kab tak dhoke dunga
hont hue jate hain zakhmi dil ka ye aalam baitha jae

mere khwab gharaunde mein mere sath hain
murda lamhon ke be rut basi calender
guzri kal ke bhige bhige se pachhtawe
aane wali kal ke be kal se andeshe
sukhe phulon ki tahni par
patjhad ke jhonkon se udti be-ghar titli
pile patton ki murjhai bel se lipti
sahmi chidiya
is ki aankhon ke gahre viran samundar
kamre ke kone mein sanwari gungi gudiya
shelf mein rakkhi saji-sajai sard kitaben
rasta dhundhti bhatki bhatki subhen shamen
khud hi socho
aise pur-awaz hujum mein
aise ghar mein
tum ko la ke kahan bithaun

ye bhi tilism-e-hosh-ruba hai
zinda chalte-phirte hanste rote nafrat aur mohabbat karte insan
sirf hayule aur dhuwen ke marghule hain
hum sab apni apni lashen apne tawahhum ke kandhon par lade sust-qadam wamanda
khak-ba-sar daman-e-darida zakhmi pairon se kanton angaron par chalte rahte hain
hum sab ek bade qabristan ke aawara bhut hain
jin ke jism to hath lagane se tahlil khala mein hon
jin ki ruhon ka zahir se zahir gosha hath na aae
hum ko mazi se wirse mein kohna qabren, girte malbe aur aaseb-zada khandaron ke dher mile hain
wo raushan shab-tab diye jin se mazi ko nur mila tha
is aaseb-zada mahaul mein yun julte hain
jaise ek pur-haul bayaban ke tera sannate mein
kuchh bhuton ne
rah-gum-karda sayyahon ko bhatkane ki khatir aag jalai ho
ab ye ujale sirf dhuan hain
aur aaseb-zada khandaron ki chhat ke chatakhte shahtiron ke shor mein koi hansta hai
jhadta chuna girti mitti nim muallaq diwar-o-dar
chupke chupke rote hain
taqon ke khamosh diye zulmat ko badhawa dete hain
sehn ke sadha sal purane budhe ped
qabron ke bedard mujawar ban kar lashon par sukhe patton ke dher laga dete hain
hum sab apni apni lashen apne ana ke dosh pe lade
ek qabristan ki pur-haul udasi se uktae hue
ek nae shamshan ka rasta dhund rahe hain
muntazir-e-marg-e-amboh hujum aankhon ke khali kase khole har-su dekh raha hai
jaane kab koi aaega jo apne daman ki hawa se
bhuton ka jalna dekhega
aur bhayanak sae gale mil mil kar khokhli aawazon mein roenge
is manzar mein jaane phir aisa koi aae ki na aae
hajw viran mayus nigahon ki khali jholi phailae
rakh mein phul kuredega

(1)
na-gahan shor hua
lo shab-e-tar-e-ghulami ki sahar aa pahunchi
ungliyan jag uthin
barbat o taus ne angdai li
aur mutrib ki hatheli se shuaen phutin
khil gae saz mein naghmon ke mahakte hue phul
log chillae ki fariyaad ke din bit gae
rahzan haar gae
rah-rau jit gae
qafile dur the manzil se bahut dur magar
khud-farebi ki ghani chhanw mein dam lene lage
chun liya rah ke rezon ko khazaf-rezon ko
aur samajh baithe ki bas lal-o-jawahar hain yahi
rahzan hansne lage chhup ke kamin-gahon mein
ham-nashin ye tha farangi ki firasat ka tilism
rahbar-e-qaum ki nakara qayaadat ka fareb
hum ne aazurdagi-e-shauq ko manzil jaana
apni hi gard-e-sar-e-rah ko mahmil jaana
gardish-e-halqa-e-gardab ko sahil jaana
ab jidhar dekho udhar maut hi mandlati hai
dar-o-diwar se rone ki sada aati hai
khwab zakhmi hain umangon ke kaleje chhalni
mere daman mein hain zakhmon ke dahakte hue phul
khun mein luthde hue phul
main jinhen kucha-o-bazar se chun laya hun
qaum ke rahbaro rahzanon
apne aiwan-e-hukumat mein saja lo in ko
apne guldan-e-siyasat mein laga lo in ko
apni sad-sala tamannaon ka hasil hai yahi
mauj-e-payab ka sahil hai yahi
tum ne firdaus ke badle mein jahannam le kar
kah diya hum se gulistan mein bahaar aai hai
chand sikkon ke ewaz chand milon ki khatir
tum ne namus-e-shahidan-e-watan bech diya
baghban ban ke uthe aur chaman bich diya
(2)
kaun aazad hua?
kis ke mathe se siyahi chhuti
mere sine mein abhi dard hai mahkumi ka
mother-e-hind ke chehre pe udasi hai wahi
khanjar aazad hain sinon mein utarne ke liye
maut aazad hai lashon pe guzarne ke liye
chor-bazaron mein bad-shakl chudailon ki tarah
qimaten kali dukanon pe khadi rahti hain
har kharidar ki jebon ko katarne ke liye
kar-khanon pe laga rahta hai
sans leti hui lashon ka hujum
bich mein un ke phira karti hai bekari bhi
apna khunkhar dahan khole hue
aur sone ke chamakte sikke
dank uthae hue phan phailae
ruh aur dil pe chala karte hain
mulk aur qaum ko din raat dasa karte hain
rotiyan chaklon ki qahbaen hain
jin ko sarmaya ke dallalon ne
nafa-khori ke jharokon mein saja rakha hai
baaliyan dhan ki gehun ke sunahre khoshe
misr o yunan ke majbur ghulamon ki tarah
ajnabi des ke bazaron mein bik jate hain
aur bad-bakht kisanon ki bilakti hui ruh
apne aflas mein munh dhanp ke so jati hai
hum kahan jaen kahen kis se ki nadar hain hum
kis ko samjhaen ghulami ke gunahgar hain hum
tauq khud hum ne pahna rakkha hai armanon ko
apne sine mein jakad rakkha tufanon ko
ab bhi zindan-e-ghulami se nikal sakte hain
apni taqdir ko hum aap badal sakte hain
(3)
aaj phir hoti hain zakhmon se zabanen paida
tira-o-tar fazaon se barsata hai lahu
rah ki gard ke niche se ubharte hain qadam
tare aakash pe kamzor hababon ki tarah
shab ke sailab-e-siyahi mein bahe jate hain
phutne wali hai mazdur ke mathe se kiran
surkh parcham ufuq-e-subh pe lahraate hain

mere khwab zakhmi hue
to duniya ke sare zabte jhute lage
main ne zindagi ke liye bhik mangi
magar aabaad lamhon ki puja ke liye
waqt kabhi mere liye na ruka
mujhe west-pan se apnaiyat mahsus hui
log kaghazon se bane khilaune the
jinhen hamesha khilaf-e-marzi nachna pada
bhige sahilon ki hawa mein khun hi khun tha
jhilon ke aabaad kinare mujhe banjar kar gae
pani par tairta manzar daghabaz nikla
main mukhalif samt bahti kashtiyon mein
ba-yak-waqt sawar ho gaya
baadal baras gae
to aasman par dhuan rah gaya
main ne khud ko dhuwen mein udaya
aur masrufiyat se sauda kar liya