karunga fath koi sham to main utrunga ulajhti sans ke kikar se aur
khwabon se raft-o-bud ke us par

abad ke husn-e-hariri ke safed se phul apni palkon pe chun sakunga main
main ban sakunga khud apna libas khud apna tar-e-nafas

na sun sakunga koi lafz koi nazm aur koi aawaz
sukut-e-zat mein lamhon ki chap tak na aaegi

chamakte hosh-o-hawas thak chuken to sawad-e-sham mein
soe hue shajar ke tale padaw dalte hain

purani yaadon ke rangin parinde shajar se niche utarte hain
udas aankhon ke purane ghar mein khayal-o-khwab

ka malbus pahne aate hain
main nanhe tifl ke manind unhen pakadne khuli nim ujli

wadiyon mein daudta hun
kahin pe pair phisalta hai aur dhadam se niche kali khaiyon

mein dubta hun
aankh khulti hai

chahaar-samt andhera hai andhere mein sapedi
koi rang koi libas nahin

koi khushbu koi bas nahin
badi hi der talak ghurte andhere mein

rafta rafta ghule hain siyahi mujh mein aur main
siyahi mein

athah nind ke sahil pe sari umr ke dagh
tamam nasl ke sare gunah dhulte hain

magar hawas kahan chhodte hain jism ke rog
sawere pahli kiran raushni ki jaise hi jhilmilati hai

khwabida aankh kulbulati hai
athah nind ke sahil pe dhup phailti hai

dagh ujalon mein phir chamakne lagte hain
sare gunah andheri ruh ke taqon pe

phir charagh ki manind jalne lagte hain
na sham fath hui aur na subh fath hui

raat fath hui aur na baat fath hui
wahi hun main wahi din raat aur wahi man-o-tu

wahi zamana wahi yaaden aur wahi khwab
nasha utarne pe wahi makhluq aur wahi duniya

wahin hain motaren wahi raste wahi shahr aur wahi ganw
wahi hai biwi wahi bachche wahi ghar aur wahi chhanw

karunga fath koi sham to main utrunga
tere kinare (mere ru-ba-ru) ki jahan

na koi subh na sham aur na koi nind na khwab
na koi rasta na manzil na koi ghar hai na ghat!