main us ka nam ghule paniyon pe likhta kya
wo ek mauj-e-rawan hai kahin pe rukta kya

tamam harf mere lab pe aa ke jam se gae
na jaane main ne kaha kya aur us ne samjha kya

sabhon ko apni gharaz thi sabhon ko apni baqa
mere liye mere nazdik koi aata kya

ubharta chand mera ham-safar tha dariya mein
main dubte hue suraj ko mud ke takta kya

parinde ghar ki munderon pe aa ke baith gae
main ajnabi tha ishaara koi samajhta kya

firaq o wasl to taswiren un ke nam ki hain
main in mein rang kisi ke lahu se bharta kya

main apne ghar mein nahin tha magar kahin bhi na tha
udhar se mujh ko guzarte kisi ne dekha kya

tamam shahr rawan hai mere taaqub mein
main aap kya mere ghar ki taraf ko rasta kya

ye raushni kabhi pahle na thi yahan 'akhtar'
sitara raat ki palkon pe koi chamka kya