Raat Ke Bara Baje

raat ke koi bara baje honge

garmi hai

saDkon pe koi nahin

buDha darwesh bhi ja chuka hai

us jozami bhikaran ki gaDi

bhi nazron se ojhal hai

rasta saf hai

hoTalon se nikalti hui laDkiyan hain

na laDkon ke jhurmuT

munDeron par

dil mein

na dil ka dhDakna

na bhuki nigahen

na siTi

qumqume

gardanen tane

chashm-bar-rah hain

koi guzre to gul ho ke

un ka tamasha karen

sarakte sarakte

wo footpath se

koi chakkar ki hariyali par aa jame hain

chand nikla

to chaaron ne chillaya

(sanp ke munh se nikla hua jaise pila chhachhundar)

lo chand nikla

wo chand tanha hai

ek dard sab ke dilon mein pighalne laga

un ki nazron ne bose liye chand ke

chand ki piTh ko thapthapaya

baDe zor se

josh o masti ke aalam mein

shishe mein jitni bachi thi

wo sab banT kar

qahqahe mar ke

pi gae

aur gale mil ke

ek dusre ko bahut dur tak

chumte bhi rahe

nachte nachte

chaaron rone lage

har ek ke munh se nikla

yaro!

man yaad aati hai, jata hun

main ne tauraat o injil o quran mein

yarmiya hajara aur yaqub

ke karb ki dastanen paDhi hain

un ka rona suna hai

aur roya bhi hun

aaj bhi ro raha hun