Baarish

Rupahli barish sabz pedon ko nahlati meri khidki pe bhi aa thahri hai
Khilkhila kar jahank rahi hai andar
Maine uski taraf dekha to
Uski chandi ke sikkon so hansi bikhar gayi harsoo

In me ek sikka mera bhi hai
Jo kabhi chhupa hota tha...

Hare hare amrood ke ped ki shakhon pe
Jo lapak kar awazein deta tha
Aur chup-chaap sawaar ho jata tha meri kagaaz ki kashti mein
Tairti hui
Chhote se barish ke dariya mein jo tha
Albela, tedha-medha, uthta girta aur machalta
Bahta theek mere braamde ke neechey
Gili hawa ke raqs par. ithlaata aur tarang se bahta

Phool, jugnoo, aur ek peeli chhoti si titli
Lade us chhoti si dagmag karti kagaz ki kashti pe aankhon se ahista ahista ojhal hone lagte,
taiyyar kisi alohi duniya mein jaane ko.

Chham chham karti barish apne aanchal ko lahrati apne lab kholti gaane ko
Khelti aur machalti meri khidki se meri almaari mein aane ko
Baahar aaj bhi machal rahi hai meri notebook pe bikhar jaane ko

Lekin

Kisi jheel sa shaffaq khidki ka sheesha rok leta hai us ko apne seene pe
Aur baahon mein bhar kar kahta hai thahar jaane ko
Kyonki kaanch ke us paar AC ki maddhim awaaz aur keyboard ki khamosh khat khat ka taal-mel bigad jaayegaa gili baarish ki phuhaar aa jaane se
Khidki ke sheeshe ki bahon mein tadap kar baarish siski bharti hai
Aur tadapti hai
kisi bhari aankh se aansoo ki tarah phisal jaane ko…

Na Tum Kuchh Kaho, Na Main Kuchh Kahoon

Na tum kuchh kaho
Na main kuchh kahoon
Sirf khamoshi hi rahney do
Chiraag bujh bhi jayen, tarey so bhi jayen
Aankhon mein khwaab liye sirf hum tum jaagtey rahen
Aur
Khwahishon se khwahishon ki baaten karen
Hazaron lamhon ko ek lamhe mein qaid kar lein
Apne apne khwaab ek dusrey ki aankhon mein sajaa dein
Asmaan bhi apne pankh mod le to kya
Hum asmaan ki vasaton se bhi aagey chalen
Shabnam ke qatrey afsaney liye hamaare daaman mein aa giren to kya
Hum hazaron gulon pe apni dastaan chhod jaayen
Na tum kuchh kaho
Na main kuchh kahoon
Khamoshi ki nadi mein raat ke paani ko bahney do
Chaand bhi so jaye to sirf nigahen jaagti rahen
Aao
Fizaon mein bhi hum apni sharyano ki harkat chhod jayen
Bujhti shama mein bhi hum roshni bhar jayen
Zarrah zarrah ko aaj ke pal se rang jayen
Shab ki syaahi ko kisi ghazal ke alfaaz mein piro dein
Aur
Koi dhun bhi ho to liye hamari rooh ki mausiqi ho
Koi pahar dhaley to waqt hamari dastaan ka ho
Koi baat ho to khamoshi apni zabaan mein usey amar bana de
Na tum kuchh kaho
Na main kuchh kahoon
khamoshi ke safhon pe alfaaz ko dhalney do…

Mukhautey

Yehaan chehron ka ghanaa jangal hai
Har chehre ke peechhey ek chehraa chhupaa hai
Aur phir jaane kitne roop
Kitne swaang rachey jaatey hain
Mukhauton ko zinda karney ke liye;
Daanton se tapakte khhon ki surkhi
Kabhi kai chehron ka noor thi
Is mein mera aur tumhara chehraa bhi tha
Tumhara lahoo kisi ne mere gaalon pe mal diya
Kya yeh Holi thi? Khoon ki?
Zameen ki laplapaati zabaan
Mere zakhmi sharyano ka lahoo choosti hai
Talabgaar nighaahon ko aasmaan ka pighlaa neelam chhalni karta hai
Daudte bhagtey saaye mere khoon ke pyaasey hain;
Shayad samandar bhi inki pyaas nahin bujhaa pays
Un ki aankein khoon-ashaam parindo ki tarah dhoondhti hain...mujhey?
Andheraa badh raha hai
Shayad is mein saaye gum ho gaye hain
Ya phir saayon ne andheron ko nigal liya hai?
Taaron ki basti abaad ho rahi hai
Mera jism shal ho chukaa hai aur pair katey se jaate hain
Khumaari si aankhon mein basi jaati hai
Ummeed ke khemey sab hattey se nazar aatey hain
Saaye phir se bhaagey chaley aatey hain.
Magar raat ki syaahi mein
Main bhi tahleel hoon kahin
Kya pata raat se mulaqat ab ho ki naa ho
Bejaan laashon ke dher ko sarkaao zara
Khoon ke daldal ko khaaq se chhupaa to do
Neend se aankhein jhapki jaati hain
Do ghadi main so rahoon
Sakoon ke bhulavey mein kho rahoon
Aakhir tumhari tarah
Main bhi to Adam ki aulaad hoon...

Ek Lahooluhaan Subah

Aaj phir sooraj ka chehra lahooluhaan hai
Khoon ke chhintey khidki se andar aa rahe hain
Jhak safed chaadar gulnaar ho gayi hai
Chhat pe phaila gehoon yaquti ho chala hai
Hayaat qatrah qatrah saanson ki girhon se azaad ho rahi hai
Rooh pe khauf ke khoonashaam parindey mandlaatey hain
Mitti ke choolhon se nikal kar aag gali koochon mein jaa pahoonchi hai
Aur zinda javed jismo pe lapak rahi hai
Zameen ka sabz ghaleecha to kab ka khaaq ho chukaa
Yeh aag to parbat aur falak ko bhi nahin bakhshegi
Jaane kis kis des jaayegi
Is ki hiddat se tare pighal kar qasar mein bhi shagaaf kar rahen hain
Aasmaan ka kasni phool murjhaa gaya kab se
Ab to sirf chaand ka intezaar hai
Shaam hone ko aayi
Kab chandni ka kafan
zinda murda laashon ko
panaah degaa?

zindagi to nazar kar di bazam-e-dawat-e-ahbaab ko
Naama-e-amaal pesh kya karoge roz-e-hisaab ko?

Hai kya meri hasti is wasee jahaan mein
Kabhi main khaaq ko dekhoon to kabhi habaab ko

Tere qadam hi to liye jaate hain dashte sehra mein
Kyon ilzaam jaye hai satrangey saraab ko?

Chasham-e-tar to bedaar hogi kisi aur jahaan mein
Chhod chali musht-e-ghubaar is jahan-e-kharaab ko

Zindagi se is zindagi mein milna dushwaar hai bahot
Khwaab hi rahney do is anjaane khwaab ko

Aao na mil kar ek nazam likhein

Aao na
Waqt ki pitari se gira
Koi lamha uthha kar hatheli pe rakh lein
Aur saanson ki tapish se us mein
Kuchh rang, kuchh roshni, kuchh khushboo, kuchh hiddat bhar dein
Tum lekar aana apne shahar ki taaron bhari raat ko,
Tumhari khidki se chhanti tumhaare rukh pe chhayee chandni ko
Tod lana kisi saal ki shaakh se jaadey ki subah ka ek bheega pal
Jab kisi kaasni pairhan ko tum ne kagaz pe bikhera tha,
Muthhi mein bhar lana us saba ko
Jo peeley harey patte kisi subah hamaarey aas paas udaati thi.
Aur main
Le aaongi
Kuchh ankahi baatein
Kuchh thami hui saansein
Uthhti jhukti nigahein
Hatheli pe phailtey ujaaley
Khoon se seenchi kyariyaan
Aur bhi kuchh hai shayad mera tumharey paas
Woh bhi lana
Aur phir hum sunhari dhoop mein baith kar ek nazam likhenge
Dekhna kahin yeh pal
Titliyon ki tarah baageechey mein gum na ho jaayein
Ya phir koi mutarba
Inhe chura kar apne naghme me na basa le...