Apnon ke' shehar mein

Apnon ke' shehar mein,
Apno ke' beech,
Ek ajnabi ki tarah hain hum.

Kisi apne' ki talaash mein,
Apno ke' beech,
Ek kashmakash mein hain hum.

Kya ajeeb dastaan hai yeh?
Har koi apna sa lagta hai.

Magar phir bhi,
Koi apnapan lagta nahi.

Shayad aaj ke' iss daur mein,
Zameen toh kya, 
Aasman mein bhi hukumat karne' ke' junoon mein,
Kuch apno ne' apnepan ki kurbani di hai.

Shayad isi liye',
Apnon ke' shehar mein,
Apno ke' beech,
Ek ajnabi ki tarah hain hum.

Hai yeh baat kuch aisi hi ke' hum khamosh hain

Hai yeh baat kuch aisi hi ke' hum khamosh hain,
Varna kya hamein baat karni nahi aati?

Aur hai yeh shaam kuch aisi hi,
Ke' bin piye' hi hum madhosh hain,
Varna kya humein jaam peeni nahi aati?

Humein shikayat thi apne' naseeb se'

Humein shikayat thi apne' naseeb se',
Ke' unhe' humse' juda kar diya.

Humne' paee thi zindagi ki haar khushi unmein,
Magar naa jaane' kyon,
Unhe' humse' juda kar diya.

Apne' iss naseeb ko koste' rahe' the' hum ab tak,
Jo humari khushiyan cheen le' gai thi.

Barson baad humne' unhe' phir dekha hai,
Kahin aur hi sahi,
Magar zindagi ki har khushi ke' saath.

Yeh saari khushiyan mere' taqdeer mein nahi the',
Magar ab maine' apne' iss naseeb ko sahi pehchana hai.

Mere naseeb ne' meri uss chahat ko,
Kahin aur hi sahi,
Magar kitna khush rakha hai.

Kya main khudgarz nahi,
Agar ab bhi apne' naseeb se' shikaayat karoon?  

Hazaar khwaishon ke' baad

Hazaar khwaishon ke' baad,
Humne' aapko paa liya,
Naa jaane' kitne' armaanon ke' baad,
Humein aapka saath mila.

Kabhi kabhi yeh sochta hoon,
Ke' inn tamaam khwaishon aur armaanon ki keemat kya hai?

Magar jab bhi aapko dekhta hoon,
Toh kuch aisa lagta hai.
Ke' meri hi toh kya,
Iss saare' jahaan ki khwaishein aur armaan bhi,
Aapke' inn nazar-e-inaayat ke saamne',
Hain kuch pheeke' pheeke' se'.

Humne' dekhe' hain iss zindagi ke ajeeb rang

Humne' dekhe' hain iss zindagi ke ajeeb rang,
Jahan apne' hain dooor aur ajnabi hain sungh (together).

Kehte' hain, ek chatt (roof) ke' neeche' aur ek biradiri mein,
Rehte' hain kuch ek doosre' ko jananae' waale',
Ek doosre' ko chahane' waale'.

Magar kahani ghar ghar ki dekh,
Humne' socha hai,
Akhir kahan gaye' woh ek doosre' ko janane' waale',
Aur ek doosre' ko chahane' waale'?

Hairat hoti hai yeh dehkar,
Ke' jo kabhi ajnabi the' ,
Woh ek doosre' ko samajhkar aur ek doosre' ko chahkar,
Ab ho gaye' apno se' bhi kuch badhkar.

Kaun kehta hai ke',
Ek chatt ya biradiri hi zaroori hai apnepan ke' liye'?

Aaj ke' iss daur ko toh dekhiye',
Kai jagah par dikhenge' zindagi ke' yeh ajeeb rang,
Jahan apne' hain dooor aur ajnabi hain sungh.
  

Chal pade' the' hum uss shaam ko

Chal pade' the' hum uss shaam ko,
Kisi khaas jashn mein shaamil hone' ko.

Mahaul tha uss saal ko alvida karne' ka,
Kuch mauj masti, kuch jaam, aur kuch khaas daawat ke maje' lene' ka.

Uss mehfil ki taraf jaate' waqt,
Sadak par uss shaam aur thand ke' waqt,
Humne kuch aur hi nazara dekha.

Ek phati purani kambal orre,
Humne ek bhookhe' pyaase' gareeb ko dekha.

Uski bebus aur lachaar nazrein,
Humse kuch keh rahi thi.

Uss thand aur bhookh pyaas se',
Mujhse' kuch rahat ki umeed kar rahi thi.

Magar dekhte' hue' bhi main uski inn umeedon ko dekh nahi saka,
Aakhir woh bhi meri tarah ek insaan hai,
Samanjhdaar hote' hue' bhi, main yeh samajh nahi saka.

Aur uss khaas jashn-e-andaaz mein khokar,
Main aage' hi aage' chalta gaya.

Naye' saal ke' pehle' teen peher tak,
Main jaam mein doobta chala gaya.

Kaan cheerne' waale' dhunon mein khota chala gaya,
Aur naa jaane' kitne' anjaan logon ko,
Iss naye' saal ki mubarakbad deta chala gaya.

Par naa jaane kyon har waqt mere' mann mein,
Ek kashmakash chalta gaya,
Kya yeh saara jaam, shor sharaba, aur dikhawa zaroori tha?

Din, mahine', aur saal toh yoonhi guzarte' chale' jaayeinge',
Kai bebus aur behasra log shayad sadak par hi,
Yoonhi dum torhte' chale' jaayeinge'.

Par kya hum apni yeh zindagi sirf apne' liye' hi,
Yoon jeekar ek din sabko lavida keh jaayeinge'? 

Kaash! Uss shaam mein uss gareeb ko,
Zindagi ke' kuch haseen pal de' deta.

Sukh ka woh saagar toh naa sahi magar,
Uss saagar ki kuch boondein uski dard bhari pyas ke liye' de' deta.

Aur iss tarah, iss naye saal ki shuruaat,
Uski bebus chehre' par ek muskurahat laakar kar deta.

Main jeena chahata hoon

Composed the following while empathizing with a dear friend who was suffering from terminal illness:

Main jeena chahata hoon,
Abhi maine dekha hi kya hai?
Kyon yeh bimari meri zindagi se' yoon khafa hai?

Socha tha kabhi ke' zindagi mein kai manzilein haasil kareinge',
Apni hi nahi magar saare' kaum ki zindagi mein kai phool bhareinge'.

Magar kyon mere' muqaddar ko yeh manzoor nahi tha?
Aur kyon iss bimari ke' zariye' maut mujhe' pukaar rahi hai?

Apni kaum ke' iss baagiche' mein itne' dard bhare' kisse' dekhkar mera dil tadap uthta hai,
Mera zameer mujhko lakaarta hai:

"Ban jaa woh maali jo bhar de' iss baagiche' ko rang bhare' aur mehakte' phoolon se',
Iss tarah laut aaye' woh bahaar har ek ki zindagi mein,
Jo phansa huya hai naa jaane' kin kin mushkilon mein".

Shayad iss liye main abhi jeena chahata hoon,
Kyonke' abhi maine' dekha hi kya hai.