Khat

har raat ik umr guzaarne ki aadat si hai

kaali raat khaali haath
to kabhi aati hi nahin
par jo maangti hoon, woh laati bhi nahin

kuch khote yaadein laati hain
kuch jhoote vaade karti hai
kuch poore tode jaati hain
kuch thode-aadhe bharti hai

ab tak us khumaar ka shumaar nahin kar paayi
na to har us khaab ka hisaab kar paayi kabhi

peeli lifaafon se chitthiyaan nikaalkar
baaton se roothe adhoore harf ghoorti hoon
kabhi lihaafon me leti hui main, baahar-
raaton se tooti kaari barf ghoorti hoon

kuch to hua hoga mujhe
do raatein char baatein nahin samjhi
ek sadi ke sannate samajh gayi

haan, baat thodi ajeeb hai-
tumhari nazrein bhi
kabhi aawaaz nahin karti thi
par baatein bahut karti thi

shayad tumne kisi khat me
gappi nazrein aur ek kaagaz bhar khamoshi
likh-kar bheja hoga
jo kabhi mere yahaan pahuncha hi nahin.

aise khayaal phoonke se nahin jaate
aur sukoon - sookha sa pada rahta hai

har raat yun ik umr guzaarne ki aadat si hai
shayad ab saari umr bas raat guzaarni padegi
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each night, i live a lifetime...
all my life, it is, but, night!