safir-e-laila yahi khandar hain jahan se aaghaz-e-dastan hai
zara sa baitho to main sunaun

fasil-e-qarya ke surkh patthar aur un pe azhdar-nishan burjen gawah qarya ki azmaton ki
chahaar jaanib nakhil-e-tuba aur us mein bahte farawan chashme

buland pedon ke thande sae the shakh-e-zaitun isi jagah thi
yahi sutun the jo dekhte ho pade hain murda giddhon ke manind

uthae rakhte the in ke shane azim qasron ki sangin saqfen
yahi wo dar hain safir-e-laila ki jin ke takhte uda liye hain dinon ki aawara sarsaron ne

yahin se guzri thin surkh unton ki wo qataren
ki un ki pushten sanobaron ke safed palan le ke chaltin

uthae phirtin jawan pariyon ki mahmalon ko
ye sehan-e-qarya hai un jaghon par ghani khajuron ki sabz shakhen

falak se taza phalon ke khoshe chura ke bharti thin pahluon mein
safed pani ke sau kuen yun bhare hue the

ki chaudi mashkon ko hath bhar ki hi rassiyan thin
mazaf-e-qarya mein sabza-gahen aur in mein charti thin farba bheden

shimal-e-qarya mein nil-gaen manar-e-masjid se dekhte the
pare hazaron kabutaron ke fasil-e-qarya se gumbadon tak

paron ko zoron se phadphadate the aur sehnon mein daudte the
yahin tha sab kuchh safir-e-laila

isi jagah par jahan babulon ke khar phirte hain chuhiyon ki sawariyon par
jahan parindon ko haul aate hain rakh udti hai haddiyon ki

yahi wo wahshat-sara hai jis mein dilon ki aankhen laraz rahi hain
safir-e-laila tum aaj aae ho to bataun

tere musafir yahan se nikle ufuq ke parbat se us taraf ko
wo aise nikle ki phir na aae

hazar kohna duaen garche buzurg honton se uth ke baam-e-falak pe pahunchin
magar na aae

aur ab yahan par na koi mausam na baadalon ke shafiq sae
na surajon ki safed dhupen

faqat sazaen hain ungh-bharti karih chehron ki dewiyan hain
safir-e-laila

yahan jo din hain wo din nahin hain
yahan ki raaten hain be-sitara

sahar mein koi nami nahin hai