mausam badla rut gadrai ahl-e-junun bebak hue
fasl-e-bahaar ke aate aate kitne gireban chaak hue

gul-buton ke rang aur naqshe ab to yunhi mit jaenge
hum ki farogh-e-subh-e-chaman the paband-e-fitrak hue

mohr-e-taghayyur is dhaj se aafaq ke mathe par chamka
sadiyon ke uftada zarre ham-dosh-e-aflak hue

dil ke gham ne dard-e-jahan se mil ke bada bechain kiya
pahle palken pur-nam thin ab aariz bhi namnak hue

kitne alhad sapne the jo dur sahar mein tut gae
kitne hansmukh chehre fasl-e-bahaaran mein ghamnak hue

barq-e-zamana dur thi lekin mishal-e-khana dur na thi
hum to 'zahir' apne hi ghar ki aag mein jal kar khak hue