yaari agar shaam se kar lu,
toh kahin raat rooth na jaye.

har waqt satate hue,
savera bhi kehta ab toh—
kya chahti hoh tum humse?
kisko chunogi, agar chunna hoh hamesha ke liye?

  khayalon mein kya tumhare?

khayalon ki baaton par aajaun,
unhe manana aata toh
baatein shayad dil ki hi sunte woh.

kehte hai magar kuch,
kar dete hai kuch aur.

aur lafz? wahi jo bolti rehti hoh tum?

lafzon ka dohrana
nishaan hota hai khamiyon ka,
par woh maujoodgi hi kaisi
jisme khamiyan na hoh.

tumhe bataun ek raaz ki baat,
bolna nahi kisise.
rakhti *** isko dil ke kareeb—
ek chahat hai ye bhi, kaafi ajeeb.

jo meetha zeher milta sirf shabdon mein,
bhar deti hoon usko,
har unn galiyon se nikalte hue,
jinki raah ek waqt tak saath thi,
par phir bichhad gaye—
dhakka dekar mujhe,
darwaze band unhone kar diye.

nikal padi mai wapas,
wahi rahein, kuch nayi toh kuch dabi hui, khamosh si.
maano chalte hue unpar, kho gaye log.
har ek raahi jo bhi mila,
baatein kisi se hoh na payi.

phir thak kar baith gayi—
bhaagne ko zindagi bhar kaafi,
kabhi rukna bhi kya ab jaayaz nahi?

baithe-baithe, ek aisi jagah mili,
jahan dekhne ko dhalta hua sooraj
aur deewangi ka ek parda tha.
dekha maine, kaise woh milte kuch aise,
sirf lamhon ke liye,
sambhal lete woh bhi ek doosre ko.

kya mujhe bhi koi—?

kabhi-kabhi aati hai ek junooniyat,
ek ummeed, jo bas aahon mein bhar leti hai apne,
aur phir wahi khwab:

dekhte-dekhte, cheen leti main unse
woh do pal ki khushiyaan.
jab milta ek kinara dusre se,
jab bhi woh rokte doosre ko bikharne se—
kuch iss qadar kaabil hona—
tere liye?

kisi din, ban jana iss layak
ki keh denge ye bhi:

“bachke rehna usse,
jo aati hai raat ki tarah,
lejati hai har ek woh sapna
jo sona na de.
aur de jaati hai
meethe se woh kuch khwab—
woh jo kabhi rone bhi na de.”

aur rahi baat unki,
jo mere hokar bhi—

zameen, mausam, aur ye aasmaan,
raat, savera, aur dhalta sa ye jahaan—
mere hi toh hai.

dil ki ye gustakhi maaf ki jaye.
kuch iss nazariye se dekhiye—
ki dil, dimaag, aur rooh ko bhi choo jaye.
ye kehne ka tareeka, aankhon ka nageena,
maano paheli si hoh koi...
suljhane baithe toh dil ke taar ulajh gaye.
ab kehne ke liye tasalli rakhi—
darr, aur mukhtam—dono hi mukammal kar chuke.

deewangi woh ek aisi bala,
choote choote reh si gayi—
itne kareeb the, kuch pal ke liye hi sahi,
ek phool ka woh kaanta,
jisne ghaav toh diye,
par dekhkar use,
befikra bankar, hum chalte chale hi,
kahin kho se gaye.
nazdeekiyan badhti chali gayi—
aur ab, waqt ka dariya:
jagah itni, ki iski dor bhi pakadke,
dooor se kheecho,
toh bhi ye na jud sake.

kya ye kismat?
teri—phir meri?
ki saath rehne bhi chahein,
toh bhi saath na reh sake…
aur maano, kehne ko—
wakt, naseeb, jazbaat se lad bhi lein—
par iss dil–dimaag ke khel mein,
phas kar, bikhar kar,
mar hi jaaye,
toh aisa kya rishta,
aur kya ummeed,
jisme khel tumhara

manzar se guzar kar,
galiyon ke uss paar
baitha koi ek woh shaks,
jo dikha dega mujhe meri sahi raah.
kya aisa koi jeena,
jo tumhaare kareeb rehne dega?

doori rahe, par phir bhi—
aankhen wahi sab khayaal padhti,
gun gunati,
ek doosre mein samaati rahein.
kehne ko hum do,
alag.
bilkul—bewajah, bekhayal.
uss mod par mudte hue,
shayad ye aakhri baar.
aakhri saans.
par kya—
kya koi sun bhi sakega?

laal rang ki woh ek dor,
jisne pakad rakha,
rok rakha hai.
jaana tujhe hai—
tera raasta koi aur.
par baithe hue hum yahi.
tu agar kabhi mud ke aaya bhi,
toh milengi bas yahi kahin.
dekh toh lega,
ya
tu bhi bhula dega...?