ye kah ke kal koi be-ikhtiyaar rota tha

wo ik nigaah sahi kyoon kisi ko dekha tha

tanaabein koocha-e-quatil ki khinchati jaati thin

shaheed-e-tegh-e-ada mein bhi zor kitna tha

bas ik jhalak nazar aai ude kaleem ke hosh

bas ik nigaah hui khaak toor-e-seena tha

har ik ke haath faquat ghafaltein thin hosh-numa

ki apne aap se begaana-waar jeena tha

yahi hua ki fareb-e-umeed-o-yaas mite

wo pa gae tire haathon hamein jo paana tha

chaman mein ghuncha-e-gul khilkhila ke murjhaae

yahi wo the jinhein hans hans ke jaan dena tha

nigaah-e-mehar mein jis ki hain sad payaam-e-fanaa

usi ka aalam-e-ijaad-o-naaz beja tha

jahan tu jalwa-numa tha larazti thi duniyaa

tire jamaal se kaisa jalaal paida tha

hayaat-o-marg ke kuchh raaz khul gae honge

fasaana-e-shab-e-gham warna dosto kya tha

shab-e-adam ka fasaana gudaaz sham-e-hayaat

siwaae kaif-e-fanaa mera maajra kya tha

kuchh aisi baat na thi tera door ho jaana

ye aur baat ki rah rah ke dard uthta tha

na poochh sood-o-ziyan kaarobaar-e-ulfat ke

wagarna yoon toh na paana tha kuchh na khota tha

lagaawtein wo tire husn-e-be-niyaaz ki aah

main teri bazm se jab naa-umeed uttha tha

tujhe ham ai dil-e-dard-aashna kahan dhoondein

ham apne hosh mein kab the koi jab uttha tha

adam ka raaz sada-e-shikast saaz-e-hayaat

hijaab-e-zeest bhi kitna lateef parda tha

ye iztiraab-o-sukoon bhi thi ik fareb-e-hayaat

ki apne haal se begaana-waar jeena tha

kahan pe chook hui tere be-quaraaron se

zamaana doosri karwat badalne waala tha

ye koi yaad hai ye bhi hai koi mahwiyyat

tire khayaal mein tujh ko bhi bhool jaana tha

kahan ki chot ubhar aai husn-e-taaban mein

dam-e-nazaara wo rukh dard sa chamakta tha

na poochh ramz-o-kinaayaat chashm-e-saaqui ke

bas ek hashr-e-khamosh anjuman mein barpa tha

chaman chaman thi gul-e-daagh-e-ishq se hasti

usi ki nikhat-e-barbaad ka zamaana tha

wo tha mira dil-e-khoon-gashta jis ke mitne se

bahaar-e-baagh-e-jinan thi wajood-e-duniyaa tha

quasam hai baada-kasho chashm-e-mast-e-saaqui ki

bataao haath se kya jaam-e-mai sambhalta tha

wisaal us se main chaahoon kahan ye dil mera

ye ro raha hoon ki kyoon us ko main ne dekha tha

umeed yaas bani yaas phir umeed bani

us ik nazar mein fareb-e-nigaah kitna tha

ye soz-o-saaz-e-nihan tha wo soz-o-saaz-e-ayan

wisaal-o-hijr mein bas farque tha toh itna tha

shikast-e-saaz-e-chaman thi bahaar-e-laala-o-gul

khizan machalti thi ghuncha jahan chatakta tha

har ek saans hai tajdeed-e-yaad-e-ayyaami

guzar gaya wo zamaana jise guzarna tha

na koi waada na koi yaquin na koi umeed

magar hamein toh tira intizaar karna tha

kisi ke sabr ne be-sabr diya sab ko

firaaque naza mein karwat koi badalta tha