Contemporary verse written for Meeras — the city, exile, the screen-lit night.
Original verse, written so the archive has a living present.
har raat ke aakhir mein chhupi ek sahar hoti hai
thaki aankhon mein bhi koi nayi dopahar hoti hai
main apna shahr chhoR aayi par shahr na chhoR saka mujhe
har khwab mein vahi gali vahi ghar vahi dar hota hai
main mashriq ki beTi hoon magar maghrib mein basi hoon
do duniyaaon ke darmiyaan ek pul si tani hoon
vatan vo nahin jahaan paida hue the hum
vatan vo hai jahaan dil ko qaraar aata hai
main ek musaafir hoon meri manzil koi nahin
har raah meri hai aur har ghar mera nahin
din bhar ki mehnat ke baad jab roTi nazar aati hai
to mazdoor ke haathon mein puri kaaynaat aati hai
har haath mein ek roshan sa shaffaaf sa aaina hai
magar koi kisi ki aankhon mein nahin dekhta
neend aankhon se ruuTh ke kahin chali gayi hai
aur main hoon ye raat hai aur ek jalti screen hai