is basti ke ek kuche mein ek 'insha' nam ka diwana
ek nar pe jaan ko haar gaya mashhur hai us ka afsana

us nar mein aisa rup na tha jis rup se din ki dhup dabe
is shahr mein kya kya gori hai mahtab-rukhe gulnar-labe

kuchh baat thi us ki baaton mein kuchh bhed the us ki chitwan mein
wahi bhed ki jot jagate hain kisi chahne wale ke man mein

use apna banane ki dhun mein hua aap hi aap se begana
is basti ke ek kuche mein ek 'insha' nam ka diwana

na chanchal khel jawani ke na pyar ki alhad ghaten thin
bas rah mein un ka milna tha ya phone pe un ki baaten thin

is ishq pe hum bhi hanste the be-hasil sa be-hasil tha
ek zor bipharte sagar mein na kashti thi na sahil tha

jo baat thi in ke ji mein thi jo bhed tha yaksar an-jaana
is basti ke ek kuche mein ek 'insha' nam ka diwana

ek roz magar barkha-rut mein wo bhadon thi ya sawan tha
diwar pe bich samundar ke ye dekhne walon ne dekha

mastana hath mein hath diye ye ek kagar par baithe the
yun sham hui phir raat hui jab sailani ghar laut gae

kya raat thi wo ji chahta hai us raat pe likkhen afsana
is basti ke ek kuche mein ek 'insha' nam ka diwana

han umr ka sath nibhane ke the ahd bahut paiman bahut
wo jin pe bharosa karne mein kuchh sud nahin nuqsan bahut

wo nar ye kah kar dur hui 'majburi sajan majburi'
ye wahshat se ranjur hue aur ranjuri si ranjuri?

us roz hamein malum hua us shakhs ka mushkil samjhana
is basti ke ek kuche mein ek 'insha' nam ka diwana

go aag se chhati jalti thi go aankh se dariya bahta tha
har ek se dukh nahin kahta tha chup rahta tha gham sahta tha

nadan hain wo jo chhedte hain is aalam mein na-danon ko
us shakhs se ek jawab mila sab apnon ko beganon ko

'kuchh aur kaho to sunta hun is bab mein kuchh mat farmana'
is basti ke ek kuche mein ek 'insha' nam ka diwana

ab aage ka tahqiq nahin go sunne ko hum sunte the
us nar ki jo jo baaten thin us nar ke jo jo qisse the

ek sham jo us ko bulwaya kuchh samjhaya bechaare ne
us raat ye qissa pak kiya kuchh kha hi liya dukhyare ne

kya baat hui kis taur hui akhbar se logon ne jaana
is basti ke ek kuche mein ek insha nam ka diwana

har baat ki khoj to thik nahin tum hum ko kahani kahne do
us nar ka nam maqam hai kya is baat pe parda rahne do

hum se bhi to sauda mumkin hai tum se bhi jafa ho sakti hai
ye apna bayan ho sakta hai ye apni katha ho ho sakti hai

wo nar bhi aakhir pachhtai kis kaam ka aisa pachhtana?
is basti ke ek kuche mein ek 'insha' nam ka diwana