Aap se Tum

Pehli baar jab tumse baat ki thi, shabdon mein sharm thi, aur zubaan par ‘aap’ ka aanchal tha, jaise door se koi diya jala ho par roshni paas aane se ghabraati ho. Tum hamesha muskura kar kehte, “Tum keh lo, accha lagega.” Main hansi mein taal deti thi, par dil mein ek bijli si chalti thi Phir ek shaam... jab hawa ne dupatta khiska diya, aur tumhare haath ne bina kuch kahe sambhal liya— meri saari maryada tumhari ungliyon ki lakeer ban gayi thi. Us raat, maine pehli baar kaha— “Tum sun rahe ho?” Tumne palkein uthayi, aur meri awaaz mein pighla hua prem mehsoos kiya. ‘Aap’ mein jo faasla tha, ‘Tum’ mein wo saans ban gaya. Har 'tum' ke saath ek chhoti si chhoo ban gayi, ek aisa sambandh jo sirf sparsh nahi, poori astha ka geet tha. Ab jab main kehti hoon— “Tum thak gaye ho?” to pyaar sirf kehne mein nahi, tumhare kandhe par mera sir rakhne mein hota hai. Main ‘aap’ se door gayi thi par ‘tum’ mein khud ko paa gayi, aur yeh badlav sirf shabd ka nahi tha— yeh to prem ka sankalp tha, jo har raat meri chaadar mein mehka karta hai...