nigahen muntazir hain kis ki dil ko justuju kya hai
mujhe khud bhi nahin malum meri aarzu kya hai

badalti ja rahi hai karwaton par karwaten duniya
kisi surat nahin khulta jahan-e-rang-o-bu kya hai

ye socha dil ko nazr-e-arzu karte hue hum ne
nigah-e-husn-e-khud-ara mein dil ki aabru kya hai

mujhe ab dekhti hai zindagi yun be-niyazana
ki jaise puchhti ho kaun ho tum justuju kya hai

hua karti hai dil se guftugu be-khwab raaton mein
magar khulta nahin mujh par ki 'akhtar' guftugu kya hai

main in aankhon ko kya samjhun ki apni khana-virani
jinhen ye bhi nahin malum khun-e-arzu kya hai

kiran suraj ki kahti hai phir aaegi shab-e-hijran
sahar hoti hai 'akhtar' so raho ye haw-hu kya hai