us khamosh qile ki
sakht lohe si divaren
har taraf safed ghamgin parde
vo apni ali-shan kursi par baithi
koi hisab jod rahi hai
us ka phika sapat bojhal chehra
jaise bhitar ka ek ruup
us ke uupri ruup rang ko kha chuka ho
achanak darvaze ki dastak
dabi hui siskiyon ka shor
unche darvaze ko kholte hi
us ki bhav-vihin ankhon men
sanvednaon ki halchal ho uthti hai
subh ki os narm dhuup men
nazuk kopal sa ek bachcha
apni chikh ko gale men thuus kar
us ki taraf qile ki taraf
dauda aa raha tha
abhi gale laga kar ro padega jaise
vo ek tuk use dekhti rahti hai
magar gale nahin laga paati vo
us ka hirdai kahta hai ki bhej de use
vapas us ke ghar jahan
us ka intizar ho raha hoga
is tivr ichha ke saath
barson se nirlap rahi us ki ankhon men
dabi hui bhavnaen gati-man ho kar bahne lagti hai
he ishvar vo ankhen muund leti hai
mez par rakhi hisabon vaali kitab dikhai deti hai
aur nau-pallavit paude ki
nazuk daali jaisi ungliyan thaam kar
vo use qile ke bhitar le aati hai
toting darvaza karkash avaz ke saath
band ho jaata hai
vo bilakhte hue bachche ko aghosh men le leti hai
khamosh kamre men us maasum ki
dhadakne sansen siskiyon ka shor
tez ho uthta hai
vo kas ke us bachche ko
apne bhitar samet kar gahri niind sula deti hai
jab koi shor baaqi nahin rahta tab
us ke bhitar ka rudan bahar aane ko tadapta hai
magar us ke adh-mare man mastishk
use yaad dilate hai ki
maut matam nahin mana sakti
kaash mujhe bhi haq hota
darvaze pe aae ko vapas bhejne ka
kaash
bhari qadmon pe uth kar vo
us kitab men kuchh jod deti hai
din ka ujala surya ka tej
lajjit ho kar sar jhuka lete hai
hava bhi chhobhit ho kar niili pad jaati hai
saari sirishti andhkar ki gart men dubne lagti hai