ai jahan-zad,
nashat us shab-e-be-rah-ravi ki
main kahan tak bhulun?
zor-e-mai tha ki mere haath ki larzish thi
ki us raat koi jaam gira tuut gaya
tujhe hairat na huii!
ki tire ghar ke darichon ke kai shishon par
us se pahle ki bhi durzen thiin bahut
tujhe hairat na huii!
ai jahan-zad,
main kuzon ki taraf apne tagharon ki taraf
ab jo baghdad se lauta huun
to main sochta huun
sochta huun tu mere samne aina rahi
sar-e-bazar dariche men sar-e-bistar-e-san.jab kabhi
tu mere samne aina rahi
jis men kuchh bhi nazar aaya na mujhe
apni hi surat ke siva
apni tanhai-e-jan-kah ki dahshat ke siva!
likh raha huun tujhe khat
aur vo aina mere haath men hai
is men kuchh bhi nazar aata nahin
ab ek hi surat ke siva!
likh raha huun tujhe khat
aur mujhe likhna bhi kahan aata hai?
lauh-e-aina pe ashkon ki phavvaron hi se
khat kyuun na likhun?
ai jahan-zad,
nashat us shab-e-be-rah-ravi ki
mujhe phir laegi?
vaqt kya chiiz hai tu janti hai?
vaqt ik aisa patinga hai
jo divaron pe ainon pe
paimanon pe shishon pe
mire jaam o subu mere tagharon pe
sada rengta hai
rengte vaqt ke manind kabhi
laut ke aaega hasan kuza-gar-e-sokhta-jan bhi shayad!
ab jo lauta huun jahan-zad
to main sochta huun!
shayad is jhonpade ki chhat pe ye makdi miri mahrumi ki
jise tanti chali jaati hai vo jaala to nahin huun main bhii?
ye siyah jhonpada men jis men pada sochta huun
mere aflas ke raunde hue ajdad ki
bas ek nishani hai yahi
un ke fan un ki maishat ki kahani hai yahi
main jo lauta huun to vo sokhta-bakht
aa ke mujhe dekhti hai
der tak dekhti rah jaati hai
mere is jhonpade men kuchh bhi nahin
khel ik saada mohabbat ka
shab o roz ke is badhte hue khokhle-pan men jo kabhi khelte hain
kabhi ro lete hain mil kar kabhi ga lete hain
aur mil kar kabhi hans lete hain
dil ke jiine ke bahane ke siva aur nahin
harf sarhad hain jahan-zad maani sarhad
ishq sarhad hai javani sarhad
dil ke jiine ke bahane ke siva aur nahin
dard-e-mahrumi ki
tanhai ki sarhad bhi kahin hai ki nahin?
mere is jhonpade men
kitni hi khushbuen hain
jo mere gird sada rengti hain
usi ik raat ki khushbu ki tarah rengti hain
dar o divar se lipti hui is gird ki khushbu bhi hai
mere aflas ki tanhai ki
yadon ki tamannaon ki khushbuen bhi
phir bhi is jhonpade men kuchh bhi nahin
ye mera jhonpada tarik hai ganda hai paraganda hai
haan kabhi duur darakhton se parindon ki sada aati hai
kabhi injiron ke zaitunon ke baghon ki mahak aati hai
to main ji uthta huun
to main kahta huun ke lo aaj naha kar nikla!
varna is ghar men koi sej nahin itr nahin hai
koi pankha bhi nahin,
tujhe jis ishq ki khu hai
mujhe us ishq ka yaara bhi nahin!
tu hansnegi ai jahan-zad ajab baat
ki jazbat ka hatim bhi main
aur ashiya ka parastar bhi main
aur sarvat jo nahin us ka talabgar bhi main!
tu jo hansti rahi us raat tazabzub pe mere
meri do-rangi pe phir se hans de!
ishq se kis ne magar paaya hai kuchh apne siva?
ai jahan-zab
hai har ishq saval aisa ke ashiq ke siva
us ka nahin koi javab
yahi kaafi hai ki batin ki sada guunj uthe!
ai jahan-zad
mere gosha-e-batin ki sada hi thi
mere fan ki thathurti hui sadiyon
ke kinare gunji
teri ankhon ke samundar ka kinara hi tha
sadiyon ka kinara nikla
ye samundar jo miri zaat ka aina hai
ye samundar jo mere kuzon ke bigde hue
bante hue simaon ka aina hai
ye samundar jo har ik fan ka
har ik fan ke parastar ka
aina hai
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