ye jo ghoomte hai
kehte hue ki sab likha hai
kya itni aasani se mai maan lu?
bas keh diya – ki likha hai
toh ** gaya, badal gaya sach?

kab tak –
ek baar ko theek, do baar ke liye theek
har baar, likha hai– likha hai pehle se hi sab sambhala hua hai
toh kya hoon mai? ek zariya?
koi khel raha ye khel, aur mai sirf ek – mohra?

parinda woh jiski rooh tak bhi udne mai rehti
uske parr hi kaat do aur bol do – tujhe udna tha hi nahi

jo zeher khakar zinda reh gaye,
usse aadat bhi ** jaati – rukne ki, gir kar uthne ki, sambhalne ki
kaise maan lu ki bas, kisne ek dafa likh diya
jo hona tha, jo hota aaya
woh mai kuch nahi, koi aur kuch nahi

kabhi mann karta inn sabse ladne ka
jhagadne ka
dhoondhne ka,
jaha kuch bhi ye sab likha hua aur usko mita dene ka

lekin kya mai bachungi?
kya mai rahungi?
jo mai hoon, kya waisi ban sakungi?

ye agar ek kahani hai,
aur agar har ek woh insaan jo mere kareeb
aur jiska bhi jaana mumkin, namumkin – jo kuch bhi, jaise bhi
vaise hi
qubool bhale hi na kar saku
ladne ko aur cheekh ko sunne ko
tu rahega?

agar mai in haathon par bani hui ye rekhayein
mita bhi dun
aur jo kuch bhi hai, uska sab ulta kar du
kya woh mere haath mai, meri khud ki kahani
kya siyahi meri hogi?

kya ye meri zindagi hi hai ya kisi aur ki?

aur haan! ek baat aur
abhi suni, padhi aur dekhi
ki do log – jinko aana hota hai ek doosre ki zindagi mai
unka jaana bhi hota hai, jaise hi waqt ka kaanta ghoom jaye
aur ghadi wahi aakar ruk jaye, jaha likhi gayi thi unki kahani

ki kaam hua poora, ek doosre ke liye
ab chalte hai, aur saath reh kar – aas paas hokar bhi na mil sakenge kabhi bhi
jisne bhi is sab ko naam diya,
mann karta hai cheen loon usse jo bhi khushiyaan usko mili,
sirf is ek baat par—

baaki ek darkhwast,
bas ek dor, ek dafa dekh lena jab tu nikle
mat modna, mat mudna, mat dohrana
bas dekh lena
ki haan, jaanta tha tu mujhe

aur mai?
mai toh yahi rahungi
apne liye, hum sabke liye
jo chale gaye, jo jaate jaate reh gaye aur jo hain
un sab ko agar bhar sakti, toh daal deti ek pitaare mai
jiski chaabi sirf mere paas hoti
band kar deti, chhupa deti naseeb aur un taaron se
jo karte hai meri bayaan zindagi
nahi maanti mai



(keh deti hoon, par maanti hoon
bas jaana kisi kisi ka uss aag mai chingari ki tarah
ki lad kyu nahi sakti?
ek baar muqaddar se jhagad ke, sabke khilaaf jaake
usko paa kyu nahi sakti?
kya likha hua hi patthar par lakeer?
taare badalte har pal
kya tab bhi maan lu jo ek baar keh diya gaya?
koi mauka hi nahi, badalne ka?)


sambhal jaungi, tu apne aap ko sambhal lena
khilaaf mere agar hona chahe
toh upar se guzarte hue dariya ko dekh lena
mai sabke khilaaf hokar bhi sabse judi hui
hai tujhme itni taqat? ruk sakta tu kuch pal ke liye hi?

magar dard mile toh mat sehna.

agar jaana sab ko hi hota hai
aur jaana likha bhi hai
aur ye dard, ye pyaar, ye jo bhi hai – baandhe hue doori aur ab gume hue woh haath
jo pakad ke rakhe the ek baar
khoobsurti kaise dhoondhu inme, jab yahi dukhte sabse zyada
har ek woh tukda jo de dete ek doosre ko
milte kaha woh wapas?