Weekends

Kal shaam ko socha ke bauhat ho gaya

zaroorat hai aaraam ki,

theek usee taraah jaise ek khaali canvas

jo hota hai ekdum kora

usey zaroorat hoti hai rang’on mein lath-path hone ki.

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Rang – kabhi surkh laal, toh kabhi shaant neela,

sooraj se bhi peela, ya phir naani ke baageechey sa hara –

ya shaayad satrangi.

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Haftey bhar office ka kaam,

aur kaam hi nahin, politics bhi.

Jo raajneeti chalaati hai desh ko,

office mein aa jaaye toh kar deti waisa hi bawaal,

jaisa hota hai jab gir jaata hai raaton-raat bana foot-bridge.

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Kaam ka phal, miley ya na mile,

tankha toh mil hi jaayegi –

yeh keh kar apne aap ko saantvana do bhi toh kab tak?

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Shaayad theek hi hai –

paanch din ka kaam, robot ki taraah,

aur robot bhi rajnikant waaala nahin –

woh toh hero hai, hum kahaan.

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Paanch din ka kaam, aur phir do din ki zindagi –

Khud ke liye ye do din, bina salary ke

kitney zyaada achhe hain unn paanch dino’n se.

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“Choose a job you love, and you won’t have to work a day in your life” –

yehi kiya tha, lekin phir kya hua?

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[Cross-posted on the new blog.]