din muradon ke aish ki raaten
hae kya ho gain wo barsaten

raat ko bagh mein mulaqaten
yaad hain jaise khwab ki baaten

hasraten sard aahen garm aansu
lai hai barshgal saughaten

khwar hain yun mere shabab ke din
jaise jadon ki chandni raaten

dil ye kahta hai kunj-e-rahat hun
dekhna gham-nasib ki baaten

jin ke dam se shabab tha zinda
hae 'akhtar' wo ishq ki ghaten