Bas Ek Option

 Sabki kahaniyaan sunta raha tu,

mere hi kisson se anjaan tha kyun?

Sabke aansu pochta raha,
mere hi aansuon ko pehchaan na paaya kyun?

Log aate rahe tere paas apne masle lekar,
aur tu - 
har ek ke saath baithkar sunta,
samajhta,
hal deta raha.

Par sirf mere saath baithne ka
waqt nahi tha kyun?

…

Tu sabko pyaar deta raha,
apna bana leta tha.
Phir sirf mujhe hi
paraya kar diya kyun?

Bachpan se dekhti aayi hoon -
kisi aur ka mujhse pehle chuna jaana.
Zindagi ne dheere-dheere sikha diya
ke main bas ek option hoon.

Phir tujhse milkar laga tha-
Shayad is baar
Koi mujhe bhi chunna chahta hai.

Par jab maine
sabko chhod kar
tujhe chuna,

toh mera haath
beech raaste mein
chod gaya kyun?

Tu kyun
akela manzil ki taraf
chal pada?

Main toh thi na
har kadam par saath,
bin kisi sawaal ke.

Phir kyun
bheed ke beech bhi
tanha chhod diya tumne?

Jaanti hoon,
aaj bhi waqt nahi hai
tumhare paas
mere kisson ke liye.

Par jab aaj bhi
duur se dekhti hoon tumhe-
dusron ki kahaniyaan
dhyaan se sunte hue,

toh bas
ek hi sawaal
reh jaata hai…

Sabki kahaniyaan sunta tha tu,
mere hi kisson se anjaan tha
kyun?

                                                                         🥺🥺