Classical · 1723–1810 · Agra – Lucknow
Mir Taqi Mir was the foremost Urdu poet of the eighteenth century and a master of the ghazal. Living through the turbulent decline of Mughal Delhi, his verse fused tender melancholy with everyday speech, shaping the language of Urdu poetry for generations to follow.
meer us ghazal ko khoob kaha tha zameer ne
par ai zaban daraaz bahut ho chuki khamosh
shash jihat se us mein zaalim boo khoon ki raah hai
tera kocha ham se toh kah kis ki bismil gaah hai
ek nabhne ka nahi mizgan talak bojhal hain sab
kaarwan lakht dil har ashk ke ham raah hai
ham jwaanon ko na chhoda us se sab pakde gae
ye do saala dukhtar raz kis quadar shataah hai
pa barahna khaak sar mein moo pareshan seena chaak
haal mera dekhne aa tere hi dil khwaah hai
us junoon par meer koi bhi phire hai shahar mein
jaada-e sahra se kar saazish jo tujh se raah hai
mein ne jo be kasaana majlis mein jaan khoi
sar par mire khadi ho shab shama zor rawi
aati hai shama shab ko aage tire ye kah kar
munh ki gai jo loyi toh kya kare ga koi
be taaquti se aage kuchh poochhta bhi tha so
rone ne har ghadi ke wo baat hi daboyi
bulbul ki beekli ne shab be dimaagh rakkha
sone diya na ham ko zaalim na aap soi
us zulm pesha ki ye rasm quadeem hai gi
ghairon pe meharbaani yaaron se keena jooi
naubat jo ham se gaahe aati hai guftugoo ki
munh mein zaban nahi hai us bad zaban ke goi
us mah ke jalwe se kuchh ta meer yaad deewe
ab ke gharon mein ham ne sab chaandani hai boyi
seena hai chaak jigar paara hai dil sab khoon hai
tis pe ye jaan b lab aamda bhi mahzon hai
us se aankhon ko mila ji mein rahe kyoon kar taab
chashm ejaaz miza sahar nigah afsoon hai
aah ye rasm wafa howe bar aftaad kahin
us sitam par bhi mira dil asi ka mamnon hai
kabhoo us dasht se uthta hai jo ek abr tunuk
gard namnaak pareshan shadaۂ majnoon hai
kyoonke be baada lab jo pe chaman mein rahiye
aks gul aab mein takleef mai galgon hai
paar bhi ho na kaleeje ke toh phir kya bulbul
masar naala jigar kaawi hai go mauzoon hai
shahar kitna jo koi un mein sarishk afshan ho
ro kash girya-e gham hausla-e haamon hai