hum aksar tirgi mein apne pichhe chhup gae hain
magar jab raston mein chand ubhra chal pade hain

zamana apni uryani pe khun roega kab tak
hamein dekho ki apne aap ko odhe hue hain

mera bistar kisi footpath par ja kar laga do
mere bachche abhi se mujh se tarka mangte hain

buland aawaz de kar dekh lo koi to hoga
jo galiyan so gai hain to parinde jagte hain

koi tafsil hum se puchhna ho puchh lije
ki hum bhi aaine ke samne barson rahe hain

abhi ai dastan-go dastan kahta chala ja
abhi hum jagte hain jumbish-e-lab dekhte hain

hawa apne hi jhonkon ka taaqub kar rahi hai
ki udte patte phir aankhon se ojhal ho rahe hain

hamein bhi is kahani ka koi kirdar samjho
ki jis mein lab pe mohren hain dariche bolte hain

idhar se paniyon ka rela kab ka ja chuka hai
magar bachche darakhton se abhi chimte hue hain

mujhe to chalte rahna hai kisi jaanib bhi jaun
ki 'akhtar' mere qadmon mein abhi tak raste hain