apne qadmon hi ki aawaz se chaunka hota
yun mere pas se ho kar koi guzra hota

chandni se bhi sulag uthta hai virana-e-jaan
ye agar jaante suraj hi ko chaha hota

zindagi khwab-e-pareshan hai bahaar ek khayal
in ko milne se bahut pahle ye socha hota

dopahar guzri magar dhup ka aalam hai wahi
koi saya kisi diwar se utra hota

ret ud ud ke hawaon mein chali aati hai
shahr-e-arman sar-e-sahra na basaya hota

aarzu umr-e-gurezan to nahin tum to nahin
ye sarakta hua lamha kahin thahra hota

pichhe pichhe koi saya sa chala aata tha
hae wo kaun tha mud kar use dekha hota

tujh se yak go na talluq mujhe ek umr se tha
zindagi tu ne hi badh kar mujhe roka hota

jaane kya soch ke logon ne bujhae hain charagh
raat katti to sahar hoti ujala hota

apne daman ko jala kar main charaghan karta
agar is rakh mein 'akhtar' koi shoala hota