Reprint: Shayer-e-Inquilaab

TUESDAY, MAY 2, 2017

baat ek hi thi
matlab bay-wajeh hazaar hue

takraar hi ki baat thi
fiasle hazaar hua

woh tow wahi thi
yeh yaha bay-wajeh badnaam hua

ranjish tow bilkul nahi thi
es rawaiyya ka mohbbat naam bhi tow na hua

dekhti bhi nahi thi
enhay pata nahi kya gumaan hua

magoor bahut thi
haa haa woh tow theek hai -- par yeh khat ka jawaab tow na hua

khamoshi si se baat karti thi
haa haa dewaar ke bhi kaan hote hai -- ab samja -- mein kaise badnaam hua

raaz faash karni ki dhamki tow bas yu hi thi
yeh sar kafan baadh ke -- pata nahi kis maidaan-e-jung ki taraf hua

mudh ke dekhti bhi nahi thi
yeh wahi tahre rahe -- koi aise lauta -- aisa kabhi hua

galat fahmhi thi
mujeh saari umr iljaam diya -- yeh kya insaaf hua

kho kyu gayi thi
ab kyu -- haa ab mili kyu ho - khair -- yeh zoya kaisa naam hua

haa mayra takhalluz

haa takahlluz mein hi uljhi thi
jhujhluhat say kah rahi thi -- inquilaabi -- aisa kab kaha koi shayer hua

haa haa masroof thi
woh toh kar raha tha -- unse se shikyat kar rahi -- haa dekho -- ab bas gahen ho gaya -- es ka matlab kya hua

mehdi nahi siyahi thi
ghazal -- tarranum -- yeh kaisa maujisa hua

haa haa bilkul -- sau feesadi -- tanziya muskurat thi
enhay dekho -- likh rahe hai -- yeh atish fisha kaha hua -- yeh phir kar bala kaha hua

sab ka bhala chahti thi
ab kaun kya kare agar en ka waqt bura hua

chipha kar rahkti thi
kuch likha hi nahi tha -- aise khat-o-kitabat -- yeh kya silsila hua

ezhaar hi nahi karti thi
yeh kaisa gila hua