Kaak Poem by Aftab Alam

Ek kawwa, jise kahte the kaak,
Samajhte the use murkh,
Magar thaa wo chaalaak,
Ek din use lagi kas klar pyaas,
Karne lagaa wo paani ki talaash,
Dur use kuchh dikhaai padaa,
Gayaa saamne, dekhaa ek ghadaa,
Ghade me paani thaa thoda,
saamne bikhra thaa rodaa,

'dhap kankad niche gayaa,
Paani upper aayaa'

Ye soch kar kaak thoda bharraayaa,
Li ek chhoti si udaan,
jhaT kiyaa ek plaan,

saamne dikhaa use ek woodpecker,
pyaar se use bulaayaa—'sun joker'
tujhe tere bhaaio se milwaata hun,
chal sang tujhe wo jagah dikhaataa hun,
bechaara hai wo badaa pareshaan,
is ghade me fansi hai uski jaan,

ghade me karna hoga ek chhed,
mujhe iskaa bhi hai bahut khed,
magar yah to hamaari majboori hai,
chhed karna bhii to jaroori hai,

hote hi chhed kaak jhum uthaa,
‘khisak jaraa dekhe, khan teraa bhai fansaa'

Daali garden, bujhaai pyaas,
Itraa kar khaa, 'jhakkaas'
Ghade me paani hai tub hi pile,
Zindagi se pare zindagi jee le,

Khaaniyon me mujhe Onsaan murkh banaate hain,
Bujhaa kar khud ki pyaas, auron ko tarsaate hain
auron ko tarsaate hain
auron ko tarsaate hain