Kaisa shehar hai yeh.

Har shaam ghar lautate dhoondta hun voh mutton ki dukaan,
Ki ek-aadh kilo khareed bachpan vaali rasoi juta lun,
Papa style mein do peg laga bhuna gosht bana lun,
Yahan kaanch mein lipti, mehekti air-conditioned ‘shop’ mein,
Voh khoonte pe betarteeb se latke bakre ki dukaan ka musalmaan nahin milta,
Kaisa shehar hai yeh, jahan apna makaan nahin milta.

Kisi subah jab postman padosi ki chhitthi galti se le aata hai,
Aur poochhta hai ki kya aapki building mein falaan-falaan rehte hain,
Muh se nikal jaata hai naam kya jaanun, floor batao,
Band muh bolti aankhon se kehta hai postman, ‘Vahi jahan padosi ko naam nahin milta’,
Kaisa shehar hai yeh, jahan apna makaan nahin milta.

Koi chhutti ke din bistar pe karvatein badalte,
Jab mobile pe kisi rishtedaar ka naam chamakta hai,
Main ‘ignore’ karta hun voh bhoole-bisre din,
Jab rishtedaaron ke yahan taash ke patton ki chhaon mein,
din ka raat aur raat ki subah ho jaati thi,
Ghar der se pahunchane pe haaye-hatya ho jaati thi,
Ek facebook account, do phone, teen email pe rishtedaaron ka farmaan nahin milta,
Kaisa shehar hai yeh, jahan apna makaan nahin milta.