Apni Raat Lai Jao

mere ghar ke samne

raat ki gaDi ka ek pahiya nikal gaya

mera beTa us pahiye se khelta hai

gaDi ko lene koi nahin aaya

us din se mere ghar mein

aKHbar nahin aaya

dudh nahin aaya

parinda nahin aaya

us din ke baad

main ne apni nazm mein koi shikar nahin khela

main apni nazm ke andar KHamosh ho gaya

aur meri nazm aahista aahista mere liye pinjra ban gai

raat ki gaDi ko lene koi nahin aaya

unhon ne jaan-bujh ke aisa kiya hai

wo mere dil mein bachi-khuchi chizon ko shikar karna chahte hain

shayad wo naqsha churana chahte hain

kuchh log raat ki gaDi se niche utre

mere anaj ke kamre aur meri nazmon ki talashi li

apni hifazat ke liye

kuchh hathiyar main ne in nazmon mein chhupa rakkhe the

ab mere pas chand Dare hue lafzon aur chhan-bure ke siwa kuchh nahin

unhon ne mere beTe ki kitaben chhin lin

aur apni likhi hui kitaben de din

aur kaha hum tumhaare hi ghar mein

tumhaari nazmon ke liye ek muKHbir tayyar karna chahte hain

raat ki gaDi ka pahiya mujhe apne sine mein utarta hua mahsus hua

mere ghar ki har shai pahiye mein badal gai

hatta ki meri baaten bhi pahiya ban gain

aur phir ye pahiya meri tariKH ban jaega

is tariKH se bahut sare bachche paida honge

wo raat ki is gaDi ko khinchenge

lekin us waqt tak raat

apni jaDen chhoD chuki hogi