आईने में वह चेहरा

सदियों तक इस आईने में मैं

किसी ना किसी को तलाशता रहा,

कभी कोई कलाकार या कोई प्रेमी,

कभी कोई विद्वान या कोई पागल.

हमेशा कोई चेहरा पाया सामने

कोई और चेहरा...

अनजान सा, उदास था,

बेचैन था, बेताब सा

एक खोखला सा ढांचा है ये चेहरा

दिन गया, चेहरा नया

नए पोशाक में, जग को हंसाया...

लोग मिलते गए, ये बदलता गया

पर आज, मैंने आइना खाली पाया

शायद आज मैंने खुद को देखा है

For ages, I have looked in the mirror,

Searching for Someone or the other,

Sometimes I met an Artist or some Lover,

Sometimes someone Wise Or someone Crazy.

I have always found a face within,

Some other face,

Unknown, was Sad,

Was Restless, Impatient.

This face is a hollow mould,

Changed as the day passes,

Changed costumes, spread happiness around,

Met people, changed colours along the way.

But today, I found the Mirror to be blank.

May be, I saw myself.

Yesterday when I looked into the mirror, I saw nothing. I was perplexed yet was relieved. Relieved to know that I finally have stopped looking for someone else within me. Relieved that I have started becoming myself again. What I am. Who I am. Relieved that the Mirror is not showing any more Mirages.

The Face in the Mirror.