This sher makes a trenchant observation about society.
arz hai:

so jaate haiN footpath pe aKhbaar bichhaa kar
mazduur kabhi niind ki golii nahiiN khaate

This sher is by Munawwar Rana (b. 1952).
Following is a rough translation.

they sleep, spreading a newspaper on the footpath
laborers never take sleeping pills

The sher uses spare, simple language to paint a stark image. It brings sharp memories of seeing laborers sleeping on the footpaths of city streets, sometimes near the scaffolding of the very building they are constructing. The ground is hard, and dusty, and it is too hot, or too cold, but they are in deep slumber. Large trucks drive past the sleeping forms.

You can see, dear reader, that this is a modern sher. It is very different from the shaayari about beauty, and love, and existential questions, like that of the old masters. On second thought, I take that back. It is about love – love of humanity, and it does address existential concerns, but they are literally brought down to earth.

This sher makes me think about poverty, and inequality, and homelessness, and sleep. Surely every mazduur deserves a safe, sheltered place to sleep.

In a way, sleep is a great equalizer. It may be more easily available to a poor laborer who is exhausted from hard physical toil, than to a rich person. Good sleep is a luxury that money can’t buy.