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...?