jo shrota tha, man rota tha, sun kavitayen ye thaani
na likha hai aaj, na likhenge kal, na karenge hum jan-haani...
par khel gaye, hum jhel gaye, ban baithe bam aatm-ghaati
le gaye badla, banke bagula kavivar wo karamaati....
bhor hue wo padhare banke nireeh svarn-mrug komal,
saanjh dhale tak ho gaya unka mayavi chola ojhal....
kavi jaag gaya, to bhaag gaya sankochi atithi bhola
kehne lage tum shrota-shiromani, gatko kavita ka gola...
kavita-dhara unmukt, nirantar, nirankush behti rahi,
kuch der tak to theek hi tha, shrimati bhi nishabd sehti rahi,
fir haar gayi to maar gayi wo akaal nidra ka sutta,
hum kya karte, bhunte rahe, ban mandi aanch ka bhutta...
jab natmatsak ho ghutne tek gayi, hui laachaar hamari nishtha,
lagi soch, bas praan bache, chahe bhaad me jaye pratishtha
hath jod, tab kiya naman, dharan kar yaachi-mudra,
unke aage fell gaye, jyo hanuman ke aage samudra....
kaha prabhu,"aap kavita prasad kab tak baant te rahenge,
hum bhi, gali ke kutto ko bhala kab tak daant te rahenge...
swar ko thaam, kare vishraam, verna parinaam hoga atyant vinashkari
mere rahu-ketu jaag gaye, to phoot jaegi khidkiya mohalle ki sari.."
kapti kavivar kaat gaye gaal, samajh hamari talam-tol aur chatur-chaal...
bole," haan ho to gaya hai ratri-pehar bhi adhmara, jeetne wala hai pratah-kaal...
kintu na lagegi aankh, na aegi nidra, jo na door hui meri duvidha....
kaun sambhalega dharohar meri, jo na mila mujhe eklavya apna...."
neend me lambi haank gaye, jaldi me goli faank gaye, toda apna hi takhna
bol gaye, "hum dete ha vachan, sambhalenge dharohar, sach karenge apka sapna.."
jab tak ardh-nidra se jaagte aur stithi ko aankte, tab tak ho chuka tha nuksaan...
kaviraj ne hath uthakar bola,"tathastu...chiranjeevi bhav" aur ho gaye antardhyan !!
subah savere aankh khuli to hatprabh reh gaye dekh ke apni dashaa...
bikhre baal, haathon me kalam.. aur aankho me rat-jage ka nashaa...
to...... khel gaye, hum jhel gaye, ban baithe bam aatm-ghaati
le gaye badla, banke bagula kavivar wo karamaati....
