rahne de ye tanz ke nashtar ahl-e-junun bebak nahin
kaun hai apne hosh mein zalim kis ka gareban chaak nahin

jab tha zamana diwanon ka ab farzane aae hain
jab sahra mein lala-o-gul the ab gulshan mein khak nahin

fitnon ki arzani se ab ek ek tar aaluda hai
hum dekhen kis kis ke daman ek bhi daman pak nahin

mauj-e-talatum khair hain hum sahil ke qarib aate hi nahin
waqt ki rau mein bah jaen hum aise khas-o-khashak nahin

dard-o-karb se hashr bapa honton pe tabassum hai 'akhtar'
dil ka aalam kuchh bhi rahe aankhen to magar namnak nahin