rukhsat-e-raqs bhi hai panw mein zanjir bhi hai
sar-e-manzar magar ek bolti taswir bhi hai

mere shanon pe farishton ka bhi hai bar-e-giran
aur mere samne ek malbe ki tamir bhi hai

zaicha apna jo dekha hai to sar yaad aaya
jaise in hathon pe kanda koi taqdir bhi hai

khwahishen khun mein utri hain sahifon ki tarah
in kitabon mein tere hath ki tahrir bhi hai

jis se milna tha muqaddar wo dobara na mila
aur imkan na tha jis ka wo inan-gir bhi hai

sar-e-diwar nawishte bhi kai dekhta hun
pas-e-diwar magar hasrat-e-tamir bhi hai

main ye samjha tha sulagta hun faqat main hi yahan
ab jo dekha to ye ehsas hama-gir bhi hai

yun na dekho ki zamana mutwajja ho jae
ki is andaz-e-nazar mein meri tashhir bhi hai

main ne jo khwab abhi dekha nahin hai 'akhtar'
mera har khwab usi khwab ki tabir bhi hai