जून नलागेको एक कालो रात



दुई हज्जार सात साल,
जून नलागेको एक कालो रात
समयले खुँडा चलाएपछि
हामी माइपोखरीमा अन्तिमपटक अनुहार हेरेर
ओरालो लागेका थियौँ
र उज्यालो नुहँदै
सिमाना काटेका थियौँ ।

हामीले सँगै लिएर हिँडेका
केही भोका सपनाहरूलाई समयले
बीच बाटोमै खोसेको थियो
र लगाएका थिए
एक कुरुप भोज ।

लहलहाउँदो खेत रुँदै थियो, टारभरि
टुहुरा देउताहरू विक्षिप्त थिए देउरालीमा
पर, कञ्चन्जङ्घाको शिर
अलिकति झुकेको थियो
र इतिहासको यस दारुण प्रहसनमा
चियाबारीको सबै हरियाली
निःशब्द रोइरहेको थियो

निकै तलसम्म हामीलाई साथ दिएको हो जोगमाईले
तर, हाम्रो यात्रा एउटा कुइनेटोमा मोडिएपछि
उसले पनि हामीलाई
आधाबाटोमै छोडिदियो
र बग्यो सागरतिर
बिरहको गीत गाउँदै

तल, मेची पुलमा लम्पट बिहान
टर्च बालेर सिकार पर्खिरहेको भेटेका हौँ हामीले
आनै मृत्युपत्रमा सहीछाप गरेर
हामीले मेची पुल काटेका थियौँ ।

पूर्व जाने रेलका लिकहरूमा किचिएर
अलिकति तरुणाइ बग्यो,
बोक्सीहाटको मायावी तन्त्रासले
अलिकति रगत निल्यो
फालेलुङ्को पहिरोमा
स्वाभिमानको एउटा हात बग्यो
बहुलाएको टिस्टामा
अलिकति आत्मगौरव बग्यो

मुटु यतै छोडेर जानेहरूले
झोलामा जेजति कुरा लगे थे
ती सबै आँसु बनेर महानन्दामा मिसिए ।
झोला खाली नै थिए यात्रामा,
भोका नै त थिए मनहरू ।

खुकुरी, ढाल, पुरानो खाँडो
पखालियो पखालिएन टिस्टामा
अझै बाँकी छ हेर्न,
तर बाँकी छैन हेर्न
कि, ब्रह्मपुत्रले बगाएको खेत मेरै हो,
भुइँचालोले किचेकी आमा मेरै हुन्,
नागालैण्डका पाखाहरू र टाहारहरूमा
वेवारिस हल्लिरहेको टोपी, मेरै हो ।
मेघालयका जङ्गलका रुखसँगै ढालिएका लाशहरू
मेरै त हुन्
र खासी पहाडका कोइलाखानीहरूमा
कालो पोतिएको वर्तमान पनि
मेरो नै त हो ।

इरिल नदी किनारको एकभित्तोको आडमा
आनै करङ्का डाँडाभाटा हालेर बनाएका
हजारौ धुरी हाम्रा घरमा
चालीस सालतिर आगो झोसिएपछि
पुनः म मेची पुलको पल्लो किनारमा आइपुगेको थिएँ ।

यतापट्टि,
माया बोक्ने मुटुभन्दा
हजार गुणा आयतनमा फैलिएको
मेरो विवादित नागरिकता ओछ्याएर
बाल्यकालमा गाई तहलाउन बिब्ल्याँटेसम्म जाने मेरा दौँतरीहरू
जुवा खेलेर बसेका थिए ।

कालै थियो रात
जून लुकेकै थियो अँध्यारोको गर्तमा
मैले मेची पुलको पल्लोछेउबाट
उनीहरूलाई घुर्मैलो–घुर्मैलो देखेर बोलाएको हुँ ।
तर अहँ, जुवामा मग्न उनीहरूले
सिर उठाएनन् ।
जब मैले थाह पाएँ
उनीहरू मेरो भाषा बनुझ्ने भइसकेका छन्
मैले मेचीमा फाल हानेर
आत्महत्या गरेँ ।

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