aatish-e-gham mein bhabhuka dida-e-namnak tha
aansuon mein jo zaban par harf tha bebak tha

chain hi kab lene deta tha kisi ka gham hamein
ye na dekha umr bhar apna bhi daman chaak tha

hum shikasta-dil na bahra-mand duniya se hue
warna is aaludgi se kis ka daman pak tha

jauhar-e-fan mera khud meri nazar se gir gaya
harf-e-dil par bhi zamana kis qadar saffak tha

raat ki lashon ka kuda subh-dam phenka gaya
kya hamare daur ka insan khas-o-khashak tha

kitna khush hota tha pahle aasman ye dekh kar
jo tamasha tha jahan mein wo tah-e-aflak tha

mera dushman jab hua raazi to hairani hui
mere aage aur bhi ek ru-e-haibatnak tha

kitni baaten thin hamare zehn ka hissa magar
tajrabe ke baad un ka aur hi idrak tha

khu-e-insan ko azal se hi ye duniya tang hai
jo waraq tarikh ka dekha wo ibratnak tha

hum jo aa baithe kabhi to tan mein kante hi chubhe
saya-e-gul bhi hamein kitna aziyat-nak tha

jalwa-e-fitrat numayan hai libas-e-rang mein
husn har tahzib mein minnat-kash-e-poshak tha

sar ke niche int rakh kar umr bhar soya hai tu
aakhiri bistar bhi 'amir' tera farsh-e-khak tha