Blue skies

Aftr a long time

Aaina hame dekh k hairan sa kyu hah

the only true road

ek sadak hai
jo mere dil se tumhare dil ko jati hai
khobsoorat hai
tum kahoge kalpana hai meri
lekin mai janta hu
ki wo sadak bhram nai hai
sachchai hai,
meri sachchai.
mai uspe aksar chala jata hu,
apne aap,
yu lagta hai jaise mera har raasta,
usi sadak pe jake mil jata hai;
yaadon ke bagh hain us sadak ke kinare kinare,
maine sab to gine nahi,
par lagta hai ki ek ek yaad,
ek ek darakht ban gai hai.
mai jab chalta hu to dekhta hu un darakhto ko,
kabhi hasta hu, kabhi aankhen chhal chaala aati hain,
shayad;
fir ek talaab sa aata hai,
beech raaste me,
gehra hai shayad,
ek puliye se guzar kar paar jaana padta hai,
puliye pe chalte huye,
jab nazar niche talaab me jaati hai,
phailte-simatte hilkoron ke bich,
mujhe tumara chehra nazar aata hai,
muskurahat hai chehre pe,
lekin kuch aisa bhi hai jo spasht nai hai,
kuch keh rahi hai muskurahat,
lekin mai samajh nai pata,
jab tum meri uljhan dekhte ho,
tab tumhari muskurat se wo rahasya bhaav gayab ho jata hai,
aur fir yuhi muskurati hui tumhari wo parchhai,
sama jaati hai paani ki lakiro me.
mai kuch pal rukta hu,
intzaar kar ta parchhai ke fir se ubharne ka,
lekin wo nahi aati.
fir mai aage badh jata hu;