madrasa aawargi aur hath mein basta na tha
jo kitabon mein hai likha us ko wo padhta na tha

yun to darwaze khule the sare us ke waste
wo musafir raston ka ek ja thahra na tha

jo sunata tha kabhi aab-e-rawan ki dastan
us ke honton ka muqaddar os ka qatra na tha

tishnagi hi tishnagi thi aur sahra ke sarab
aankh pani par thi lekin samne dariya na tha

chhod aaya tha jise main khud ana ke zoam mein
phir palat kar us ko main ne umr bhar dekha na tha

mere hathon mein hai khushbu us ke hathon ki 'adib'
jism jis ka chhu ke main ne aaj tak dekha na tha