tai hui thi ek mulaqat railway-track par
lekin rail-gadi ka engine musalsal khansta raha
platform number akhiri par
aur phans gae musafir ek dusre ki galiyon men
so yak-tarfa rahi mulaqat
khidki se bahar pukar raha tha asman
magar chitkhini aur frame ne jakad liya
ek dusre ka haath
aur habs badhta gaya
logon ki amad-o-raft ke saath
chulhe se der tak aati rahin
dhunki hui avazen
aur rangin chehre vaali news-caster ne
dohrai vahi baasi khabar
ki sardi ki shiddat ke baais
mahngi ho gai hai aag
is liye parhez kiya jaae aurten jalane se
pul par izhdiham tha traffic ka
lekin kisi hadse ko dikhai nahin di
hamari surat
aur ham niche utar aae chor darvaze se
dariya ko khali dekh kar
apni miad puuri kar chuki thiin
niind ki tamam davaen
is liye zabt kar li gaiin
aur khali stores men taliyan pitti rahin
sar-dard ki be-asar goliyan
mumkin hai phir se muntazir ho izrail
railway-track par
lekin ham sasti kitabon ke ambar se
talash kar chuke hain
maut ke manzar ke baad
likhe jaane vaala qimti nuskha