majburiyon ke nam pe sab chhodna pada
dil todna kathin tha magar todna pada
meri pasand aur thi sab ki pasand aur
itni zara si baat ghar chhodna pada

na did hai na sukhan ab na harf hai na payam
koi bhi hila-e-taskin nahin aur aas bahut hai
ummid-e-yar nazar ka mizaj dard ka rang
tum aaj kuchh bhi na puchho ki dil udas bahut hai

jaane kab tak teri taswir nigahon mein rahi
ho gai raat tere aks ko takte takte
main ne phir tere tasawwur ke kisi lamhe mein
teri taswir pe lab rakh diye aahista se

december ki ghani raaton mein
jab baadal barasta hai
larazti khamushi
jab baal khole
corridoron mein sisakti hai
to aatish-dan ke aage
kahin se wo dabe-panw
mere pahlu mein aati hai
aur apne marmarin hathon se
mere baal suljhate hue
sargoshiyon mein dard ke qisse sunati hai
july ki do-pahren
mumtiyon se jab utar kar
aanganon mein phail jati hain
aur ek aawara sannata
chhaton par bhaari qadmon se
badi aahistagi ke sath chalta hai
to wo chupke se mere pas aati hai
aur apne dhime lahje mein
wo sari dastanen kah sunati hai
jinhen sun kar main dhimi aanch par
pahron sulagta hun
kisi girje ke viran lawn mein
jab january
apne sunahri gesuon ko khol kar
koi purana git gati hai
to wo ek an-chhui nan ki tarah
patthar ke benchon par
mere kandhe pe sar rakkhe
mere chehre pe apni ungliyon se
sog likhti hai
kisi wadi ke tanha dak-bangle mein
kabhi jab sham roti hai
siyah kafi ke pyalon se
lapakti bhap mein
baaton ke biscuit phul jate hain
to wo bhi jangali belon se
uthti khushbuon se jism pati hai
mere nazdik aati hai
meri sanson ki pagdandi pe
dhire dhire chalti hai
mere andar utarti hai

chalo ek bar phir se ajnabi ban jaen hum donon
na main tum se koi ummid rakhun dil-nawazi ki
na tum meri taraf dekho ghalat-andaz nazron se
na mere dil ki dhadkan ladkhadae meri baaton se
na zahir ho tumhaari kashmakash ka raaz nazron se
tumhein bhi koi uljhan rokti hai pesh-qadmi se
mujhe bhi log kahte hain ki ye jalwe parae hain
mere hamrah bhi ruswaiyan hain mere mazi ki
tumhaare sath bhi guzri hui raaton ke sae hain
taaruf rog ho jae to us ka bhulna behtar
talluq bojh ban jae to us ko todna achchha
wo afsana jise anjam tak lana na ho mumkin
use ek khub-surat mod de kar chhodna achchha
chalo ek bar phir se ajnabi ban jaen hum donon

sabz maddham raushni mein surkh aanchal ki dhanak
sard kamre mein machalti garm sanson ki mahak
bazuon ke sakht halqe mein koi nazuk badan
silwaten malbus par aanchal bhi kuchh dhalka hua
garmi-e-rukhsar se dahki hui thandi hawa
narm zulfon se mulaem ungliyon ki chhed-chhad
surkh honton par shararat ke kisi lamhe ka aks
reshmin banhon mein chudi ki kabhi maddham khanak
sharmgin lahjon mein dhire se kabhi chahat ki baat
do dilon ki dhadkanon mein gunjti thi ek sada
kanpte honton pe thi allah se sirf ek dua
kash ye lamhe thahar jaen thahar jaen zara!