Kash

us KHamosh qile ki

saKHt lohe si diwaren

har taraf safed ghamgin parde

wo apni aali-shan kursi par baiThi

koi hisab joD rahi hai

us ka phika sapaT bojhal chehra

jaise bhitar ka ek rup

us ke upri rup rang ko kha chuka ho

achanak darwaze ki dastak

dabi hui siskiyon ka shor

unche darwaze ko kholte hi

us ki bhaw-wihin aankhon mein

sanwednaon ki halchal ho uThti hai

subh ki os narm dhup mein

nazuk kopal sa ek bachcha

apni chiKH ko gale mein Thus kar

us ki taraf qile ki taraf

dauDa aa raha tha

abhi gale laga kar ro paDega jaise

wo ek Tuk use dekhti rahti hai

magar gale nahin laga pati wo

us ka hirdai kahta hai ki bhej de use

wapas us ke ghar jahan

us ka intizar ho raha hoga

is tiwr ichha ke sath

barson se nirlap rahi us ki aankhon mein

dabi hui bhawnaen gati-man ho kar bahne lagti hai

he ishwar wo aankhen mund leti hai

mez par rakhi hisabon wali kitab dikhai deti hai

aur nau-pallawit paude ki

nazuk Dali jaisi ungliyan tham kar

wo use qile ke bhitar le aati hai

toting darwaza karkash aawaz ke sath

band ho jata hai

wo bilakhte hue bachche ko aaghosh mein le leti hai

KHamosh kamre mein us masum ki

dhaDakne sansen siskiyon ka shor

tez ho uThta hai

wo kas ke us bachche ko

apne bhitar sameT kar gahri nind sula deti hai

jab koi shor baqi nahin rahta tab

us ke bhitar ka rudan bahar aane ko taDapta hai

magar us ke adh-mare man mastishk

use yaad dilate hai ki

maut matam nahin mana sakti

kash mujhe bhi haq hota

darwaze pe aae ko wapas bhejne ka

kash

bhaari qadmon pe uTh kar wo

us kitab mein kuchh joD deti hai

din ka ujala surya ka tej

lajjit ho kar sar jhuka lete hai

hawa bhi chhobhit ho kar nili paD jati hai

sari sirishTi andhkar ki gart mein Dubne lagti hai