Ajaib-Khana

Sarwat Zehra

mira vajud

dekhte hi dekhte

ek ajaib-khane men dhal raha hai

ki mere la-shuur ne

asar-e-qadima ki nadir inayaton ko

chhupa ke mujh se

mujh hi men jama kar diya hai

yahan kahin kisi rack men

mire hunut-shuda harf aur lamhe

pade hue hain

jinhen na-jane kaun sa masala laga diya gaya hai

ki mire jism ki hararat se bhi vo

gal nahin rahe hain

in almariyon se

miri tuuti hui chudiyon ke saaz ki

avaz aa rahi hai

ye dekho shelf men

meri bachpan ki gudiya ka

tuuta hua jism so raha hai

kahin meri singhar-mez ka aina

be-rang ho kar chatakh gaya hai

magar ab bhi

mere azab-lamhon ka

aks de raha hai

kahin kisi surme-dani men

shayad kabhi main ne apni aankh chhod di thi

jo us men se mujhe ghurti hai

aur meri zindagi

mere zang-alud zevaron men

dab ke chikhti hai

aur payalon ki avaz se dar rahi hai

ek tuuti hui kanghi se

mire baal uljhe hue hain

aur kinare pe rakkhi hui

surahi se pyaas ki bu

ris rahi hai

kisi ghadiyal ki tuuti hui suui

ik azab-lamhe men murtaish hai

aur qarib hi

mere jazbon ke talab se

baas uth rahi hai

aur tamash-bin,

jauq-dar-jauq mere ajaib-khane ko

dekhne ko aa rahe hain

in men se koi tamash-bin

is ajaib-khane ki

saans leti hui maut ko

tazhik se dekh kar

nazar-andaz karta hua ja raha hai

aur koi ajaibat ka shauqin

in tamam ashya pe tahqiq kar ke

apna-ap sabit karna chahta hai

magar un ko dhuul men padi hui

tarikh ki uljhi hui dor ka

koi sira nahin mil raha hai

aur men kinare pe khadi hui

apne usi ek sire ke milne ki muntazir huun

ki mira vajud dekhte hi dekhte

ek ajaib-khane men dhal chuka hai