Kal

**Ek kabootar tinka laya
Fir usne apna need banaya (need = nest)

Tinka-tinka chun-chun kar
Din-raat mehnat kar, usne –
Sundar apne mahal banaya.

Kahta tha faqra se, udta hun asman mai

Mahal bana sundar-salona
mil gaya sapne ka sona

Jana ki mehnat rang layi
fir usne apni shadi rachai

Din beete mahine beete, beeta pura saal
Lag raha tha kabootar ko, jeevan apna khushhaal

Par kise pata tha ki kismat bura waqt bhi layegi
Kabootar ki khushiyo par kis kadar musibat dhaegi

Ek din ek shikari aya
fir usne apna jaal bichhaya
Samay ne apna johar dikhaya,
kabootar ko shikari ke jaal main fansaya

chha gaya kuhra ye kaisa
badal gaya waqt sunahra

bikhre sapne, bikhri ummeedein
kaid kar diya use pinjare mein
bech diya bazaar jakar
taang diya bachche ke kamre mai
lekin bachche ka man taras gaya
usne use riha kar diya

neel gagan mein unche udne ka, mila use sunahra pal (neel gagan = blue sky)
par nahi mil saka use wah pyara purana kal

**~ Njuls
This is one of my very first poems I wrote it in my school days.