"Kya ye wahi desh hai"
Panno par sukhi syaahi ke nishaan,
Bohot nam haalatein bayaan kar rahe the,
Bol rahe the wo pure watan se,
Par shayad sab ansuna kar rahe the.
Ek ke baad ek har vaakya kuch darsha raha tha,
Beparwah mann ko laakh koshish kar samjha raha tha,
Soch thi, ye do chhand bas likhe gaye hai, likhne ke liye
Par asal mein har shabd koi daastan suna raha tha.
Dhokadhadi, brashtachaar, lachaari ke kisse
Neta, ghotale, berozgaari ke charche,
Bhook, laparwahi kahin pehle ye sab hriday dehla dete the,
Dil chhod sabhi, dard ko behla dete the.
Maa ke aansuon ki tasveer sirf ek chhote se dukh ka manzar dikhai pad rahi thi,
Khonf maano apni adhiktar seema par akad rahi thi,
Raaste haryaali nahi, lahu ke patjhad se bhare hue the,
Aasman suraj ki kirno se nahi, andher ki chaahton se mare hue the.
Yaad aa rahe the wo din, jab unnati ke samachar padhne ko milte the,
Tan-man harshollas se kali ki tarah khilte the.
Sannata mere khayalon par chhane laga tha iss baar,
Vismit tha main, chhut gaya haathon se wo akhbaar,
Har kadam par sochne laga, kya ye wahi desh hai, kya ye wahi dharti hai,
Kya ye wahi jag ki sone ki chidiya hai ?
Ek aawaaz andar se aayi,
"Yah chidiya bandish ki baahon mein fir lupt hone ko hai,
Pankh hai jaane ko, qabr ki aanchal mein bas ab khone ko hai."