agar bulandi ka meri wo e'tiraf kare
to phir zaruri hai aa kar yahan tawaf kare

dilon mein khwahish-e-didar ho to lazim hai
jo aaina bhi mayassar ho us ko saf kare

rahunga main to hamesha qasida-khwan us ka
zamin falak se bhala kaise ikhtilaf kare

hisar-e-zat se bahar nikalna ho jis ko
ana ki aahani diwar mein shigaf kare

jahan bhi qadr-shanasi mein kuchh kami dekhe
wahan zaruri hai khud bhi kuchh inkishaf kare

purane waqton ke kuchh log ab bhi kahte hain
bada wahi hai jo dushman ko bhi muaf kare

wo mera dost bhi munsif bhi hai magar 'akhtar'
har ek faisla mere hi kyun khilaf kare