Raqs

Ishrat Afreen

sukut khulne laga hai

tanhai chahchahati hai bam-o-dar par

main apne abai ghar ki pichhli shikasta sidhi pe sar jhukae

guzishta sadiyon ko gin rahi huun

safed aur surkh pattharon ka makan ab

mom ban ke mujh par tapak raha hai pighal raha hai

sabhi diye bujh chuke hain yaan taq-e-arzu ke

kitab-e-rafta ke kuchh varaq bas khule hue hain

ki jin ka mujh ko amiin banaya safir-e-shab ne

kuchh is tarah gardish-e-mah-o-sal ki nami se

ye gal rahe hain

ki in men ik harf bhi salamat nahin milega

tamam adarsh jal rahe hain

aur in ke shoalon ki raushni men

ajiib manzar ubhar raha hai

ye sard dalan

is se aage ghulam-gardish

ye laq-o-daq sahn devdhiyan aur bada ahata

mire jilau men

ye kaisi parchhaiyan si har samt raqs karti guzar rahi hain

ye mere aaba ke zar-kharid aur ghulam hain sab

hazaron ruhen ba-yak zaban chikhti hon jaise

ghulam gardish men

ghungruon ki ye kaisi chham-chham baras rahi hai

ye kaun sazon pe haath rakkhe

lahu ke aansu hasin poron se ro raha hai

ki jin ki avaz das rahi hai

aur us ke pichhe

vo duur khalvat men ruuh kis ki taras rahi hai

yahi vo aurat hai

jis ki ankhon ko chumne ki sitare hasrat karen to roen

ye shab ke parde men

apne khalvat-kade men kis ko bula rahi hai

ye kis ko aansu dikha rahi hai

bade ahate ke is kunen men

ye nazninon ki kaisi chikhen hain

jo muqayyad hain tiin naslon se

aur ruhen phadak rahi hain

ye kaun devdhi men khansta hai

ye kaun bhuka nahif bachcha anaaj ki kothiyon ke aage

abhi abhi ro ke so gaya hai

ye sar ko niyodhae kaun ladki

udhar andhere men ro rahi hai

ye ek goshe men kaun budha

lahu men tar astin chhupae

tamam ruhon se munh churae

kaman ki surat jhuka hua hai

laraz raha hai

ki mere aaba ki sabz mitti ka shakhsana

pas-e-daricha khula hua hai

ajab tamasha laga hua hai

yahi makan hain

haveliyan hain

ata-o-jud-o-sakha ke markaz

tashaddud-o-jabr ke idare

ab in men raqsan hain zar-kharid aur ghulam saare