Kashmakash........

zindagi lagti hai yun khafa,chaah kar bhi nahi ho pati main juda..
in khayalaton se jo jud rahein hai kuch is kadar...
kar rahein hai yeh katle-aam mera shaamo sehar...
ajeeb si kashm kash,fir rahi hai dar badar...
thaam loon inhe,jala doon inhe...
fir bhi chod jaayengi raakh, hain kuch is kadar besharam...

raahein nahi hai anjaani, par lagta hai darr...
nahi chaahti woh shaam fir laute..leke kaali abra..
khuda ke waaste mat karna darwaaze band..
kahin bikhar na jaye is baar..woh sapno ka mehal..
na juta paoongi fir himmat..na la paoongi fir nayi sehar..
jud rahee hai yeh aawaaz mujhse yunhi is kadar...

suraj jo ujala lata hai, woh jala bhi to deta hai..
mann jo himmat deta hai, woh dehla bhi to deta hai..
baat jo hansaa deti ho, ansoon chalka bhi to deti hai..
jeevan jo banaati hai, wahi mita bhi to deti hai..
sthaayi jab nahi hai kuch,tu kyun hai yeh kashmkash...

kaash! dekh kar aa pati main kuch pal aage..
par kyun uljha rahin hoon main apne jeevan ke dhaage..
pirona hai maalein mein ek ek moti chunke...
yeh moti jo baithe the kabhi seepi mein chupke..
aane do un lehron ko, chodenege inhe yahi to kinare...
in palon mein jo bhi ho,nahi hai kuch bhi zindagi ke aage..

(3-aug-2007)