I wrote this a month after my father's death in 1995.
Aaj sab hai,
Par tum nahi
Kilkariyon, qahqahon aur khel-kood se door
Main alag baitha sabko hasta bolta sunn raha hoon
Dukhi hoon par dukh nahi dikha raha hoon
Apni aankhon ki nami chupa raha hoon
Par, smriti patt par ubharti yaadein?
Unhe kaise rok sakta hoon?
Aaj phir ateet ki dastak sun
Mann ke dwaar kholta hoon
Aur meethi yaadon ko tatolta hoon
Woh sandhya ke prateeksha chhan
Dwaar par tiki nigahein, phir dustak
Aur daftar se tumhaara aana
Koi choti si bhent, koi kand mool lana
Phir tumhari paseene se nam, sheetal peeth par humaare kapolon ka sparsh
Vatsalya ki anhubhuti
Kya anand, kya sukh, kya harsh
Aaj apne bachon ko hasta dekh wahi sab yaad aa raha hai
Wahi anand, vatsalya aur sheetalta
Phir dabdabayi aankhon se baih nikli ashru dhara
Annsuon ki garmi ne un sheetal yaadon ko dhumil kar diya
Aur main phir vartamaan mein tumhaari kami ke gham se joojhta hua
Mehsoos kar raha hoon
Apne ko bheedh mein akela
Bilkul akela.