<one>

sab karvaan bhikhar jaate hain,
pal dusre palon mein mil jaate hain
parantu pal rehte hain woh
jo kuch kaam ki baat keh jaate hain!

<two>

yeh silsila to yunhi chalta rahega
har rah mein haan aur na ka aana jaana
bhi unthak behta rahega
arre, shabdon ko bhav ke bahaav mein daalo
tabhi to koi pal kuch kah paaega!

<three>

shabdon ka silsila to yunhi chalta rahega
koi haan kahega, koi na kahega
tum to sirf woh karo
jo tumhari zindagi ko kavita mein kahega!

<four>

bus yunhi, kahin kisi pal, ek click
aur dosti ka silsila shuru ho gaya!

<five>

jab jab nishabdta ki goonj se ghabra jaoo
tab tab shabdon ke sahare sahar tak aaoo
aur phir apne aap ko paane ki chah mein
nishabdta ki ore, shabdon se door nikal jaoo!

<six>

kya paane ki talash mein
kis khoj mein
hum prashnon ke biyaban mein
apni anubhootiyon ko
yahan vahan bo
kehte hain: yeh lo!
ek aur uttar se
suljho ya uljho. ye
ab hain tumhare!

aur jaise hum badi badi imaratein
chote chote tukdon se
khadi kar dete hain
woh, jinhe shabdon ki sahuliat hai
yehi sab kavita mein keh dete hain!

guzre pal, ladkhadti imaratein bhi
purani kitabon mein khoyi hui kavitaon ki tarah
ek bhatki hui anubhooti hokar
reh jaati hai
kewal ek pukaar
ek naye kalakaar
ke liye purana salahkaar!

<seven>

jahan koi rishtey hain
prashn dushit hone ka kahan?
rishtey na to dhumil hote hain
na dooshit unka jahan
daraar ka bhi prashn hai kahan?

ydi apekshaon ka sahara lekar
kisi khoj, kisi pukar ko
sehar mil jaye
andhere mein bhatkte ko
sahara mil jaye
to aise rishte ka ujala
kya kehlaye?

apekshaon ki gagar
unke pas jaakar
apne aur parai
ka ehsaas karai
kewal itni si hi to baat hai!

isiliye kabhi kuch kehte kehte
kuch aur keh dena
rudan nahin, gunjan hai!

<eight>

ek ore ho tum
aur ek ore mere bheetar ka maun
varshon se yeh dono
ek duje mein guum
palon ko jaante hain
unhe pehchaante hain
aur phir, shor se duur
aur chuppi ki chaanv mein
de dete hain kabhi-kabhi
ekaek
kavita ek…

aap kuon sawal karte hain
kahan se?
kaise?
arre, bus yuonhi
shabd ghumte-firte
geet gungunane lagte hain
aur ban jaati hai
ekaek
kavita ek!

[Arvind Passey]
[2007]