khizan ke aakhri din the
bahaar ayi na thi lekin
hawa ke lams mein ik be sada si naghmagi
mehsoos hoti thi
darakhton ke taheer mein
kisi be aasra umeed ki lou thar tharati thi
guzargahon mein urhte khushk pate
ajnabi logon ke qadmon se lipatte aur ulajhte the
to ik bhooli hui tasveer jaise kond jaati thi,
har ik manzir ke chehre per
larazti bekuli ki reshmeen chilman kasheeda thi
nazar rasta na paati thi
kuch aisa hi saman tha jab
woh mere bakht ke sehra mein sawan ki tarah utri
mere saanson mein mehki thi
nigahon ke sitaare, aarzoo ke isteaare the,
tamannaon ke seel shoq mein behne lagi thi woh
mere seene pe sar rakh ker achanak muskurayi
aur kuch kehne lagi thi woh......
na jaane kya tha woh jumla!
woh us ka adh kaha jumla,
jo ghanche ki tarah un kanpte honton pe phoota tha
usi lamhe koi koyil barhe hi dard se ko ki thi
woh jaise, achanak neend se jagi thi
aur us ne barhe dukh se falak ki simat dekha tha
woh boli thi.....
"sitaar-o-shaam ka roshan huwa hai, ab main chalti hoon!"
khizaan ke aakhri din hain
hawa ke lams mein eik besada si naghmagi mehsoos hoti hai
koi manoos si khushboo mere kaanon mein kehti hai,
"phir us ke husn ka moharam tera dil hone wala hai
woh us ka adh ke jumla
mukamal hone wala hai!"