ye mahfil-e-sukhan thi may ke mahine mein
shaer sabhi nahae hue the pasine mein

zinda rahenge hashr tak un shairon ke nam
jo is mushaira mein sunae gae kalam

sadr-e-mushaira ki janab-e-'khumar' the
bekas the be-watan the gharib-ud-dayar the

'mahir' the be-qarar to 'ahqar' the bad-hawas
'kausar' pukarte the ki pani ka ek glass

'shauq' o 'nushur' o 'sahir' o 'shaer' 'figar' o 'raaz'
ek maqbare mein dafn the jumla shahid-e-naz

aisa bhi ek waqt nazar se guzar gaya
jab 'sabri' ke sabr ka paimana bhar gaya

ye mehman the aur koi mezban na tha
in all-indiyon ka koi qadr-dan na tha

garmi se dil-girafta na tha sirf ek 'amir'
kitne hi shairon ka wahan uth gaya khamir

ro ro ke kah raha tha ek ustad-e-dhampur
mara dayar-e-ghair mein mujh ko watan se dur

al-qissa shairon ki wo mitti hui palid
shaer samajh rahe the ki hum ab hue shahid

wo shaeron ka jamm-e-ghafir ek hall mein
dam todte hon jaise mariz aspatal mein

wo tishnagi wo habs wo garmi ki al-aman
munh se nikal padi thi ek ustad ki zaban

shaer the band ek cinema ke haal mein
panchhi phanse hue the shikari ke jal mein

wo pyas thi ki jam-e-qaza mangte the log
wo habs tha ki lu ki dua mangte the log

mausam kuchh aisa garm kuchh itna kharab tha
shaer jo bazm-e-sher mein aaya kabab tha

bazm-e-sukhan ki raat qayamat ki raat thi
hum shaeron ke haq mein shahadat ki raat thi

kuchh ahl-e-zauq lae the sath apne tauliya
nange badan hi baithe the kuchh pir o auliya

pajama o qamis na aaya badan ko ras
baithe the log pahne hue qudrati libas

kaise kahun wo ahl-e-adab bewaquf the
itna zarur hai ki wo mausam-proof the

garmi se muztarib the ye shaer ye samain
kahte the hum pe rahm kar ai rabb-e-alamin

ye aakhiri gunah to ho jae dar-guzar
ab hum mushaira mein na jaenge bhul kar

ye hosh kis ko tha ki wahan kis ne kya kiya
sab ko ye fikr thi ki mile jald khun-baha

haalanki jaan bachne ki surat na thi koi
hukm-e-khuda ki apni qaza multawi hui