ye jo ghoomte hain,
baat baant kar jaise unka kehna kisi ki zindagi sanwar dega—
kyun lagta hai inhe ki ye jaante hain
mujhe ya tujhe,
kaise rakhte ye soch ki bayan karni hai hamari zindagiyan?

kareebi hoh tabhi samajh aaye—
kyun bolna, kisi ke baare mein is tarah,
jab samajhne ko kehkar bhi, na samajh paaye?
toh galti tumhari,
ki usme bhi maine hi tumhare khwaab churaaye?

chor nahin main—
patthar dil kyun kehte?
itna sab kuch jab soch hi liya hai,
toh phir kyun saath rehte?

ek baat karne se pehle chaar dafa sochte hoh,
aur dohrane se pehle baatein badal dete hoh—
tum kyun aise muh modte?

baatein buri lagti hain,
kabhi galtiyaan bhi hoh jaati hain;
sirf kehne ke liye nahi kehti—
lekin jab sunne ko aati hai koi aisi baat
jo sahi nahin, jo hoh hi nahi sakti,
mann karta hai saamne jaake, haath pakad ke bol doon:
"mehsoos kar sakte **? hai insaaniyat?
kon *** mai? dikhti kyu nahi?"

mat kaho jo tumhe lagta hai hoga sach—
jab tak yakeen nahi,
sirf main, aur meri chhoti si duniya jaanne waale hi sahi;
mat kaho kuch bhi—
jo kehne aaye the, woh sab pehle sun kar, samajh kar,
hassne ke saath taalkar,
maine aankhon mein dekh liya.

dard usko hota hai jise aadat na hoh;
zariya uska badalta hai jiske paas taqat na hoh.
mujhe nahi pata main kaisi, kaun aur kyun tere liye;
kuch kehna nahi —
bas, agar kabhi teri maujoodgi mujhse chhin jaye,
toh jaakar wapas unhi galiyon mein — jhoot na bolna.