mere shanon pe tera sar tha nigahen namnak
ab to ek yaad si baqi hai so wo bhi kya hai

ghar gaya zehn gham-e-zist ke andazon mein
har hatheli pe dhare soch raha hun baitha

kash us waqt koi pir-e-khamida aa kar
kisi aazurda tabiat ka fasana kahta

ek dhundlaka sa hai dam tod chuka hai suraj
din ke daman pe hain dhabbe se riya-kari ke

aur maghrib ki fana-gah mein phaila hua khun
dabta jata hai siyahi ki tahon ke niche

dur talab ke nazdik wo sukhi si babul
chand tute hue viran makanon se pare

hath phailae barahna si khadi hai khamosh
jaise ghurbat mein musafir ko sahaara na mile

us ke pichhe se jhijakta hua ek gol sa chand
ubhra be-nur shuaon ke safine ko liye

main abhi soch raha hun ki agar tu mil jae
zindagi-go hai giran-bar pa itni na rahe

chand aansu gham-e-giti ke liye chand nafas
ek ghaw hai jise yun hi siye jate hain

main agar ji bhi raha hun to tajjub kya hai
mujh se lakhon hain jo be-sud jiye jate hain

koi markaz hi nahin mere takhayyul ke liye
is se kya faeda jite rahe aur ji na sake

ab irada hai ki patthar ke sanam pujunga
taki ghabraun to takra bhi sakun mar bhi sakun

aise insanon se patthar ke sanam achchhe hain
un ke qadmon pe machalta ho damakta hua khun

aur wo meri mohabbat pe kabhi hans na saken
main bhi be-rang nigahon ki shikayat na karun

ya kahin gosha-e-ahram ke sannate mein
ja ke khwabida farain se itna puchhun

har zamane mein kai the ki khuda ek hi tha
ab to itne hain ki hairan hun kis ko pujun

ab to maghrib ki fana-gah mein wo sog nahin
aks tahrir hai ek raat ka halka halka

aur pur-soz dhundalke se wahi gol sa chand
apni be-nur shuaon ka safina kheta

ubhra namnak nigahon se mujhe takta hua
jaise ghul kar mere aansu mein badal jaega

hath phailae udhar dekh rahi hai wo babul
sochti hogi koi mujh sa hai ye bhi tanha

aaina ban ke shab-o-roz taka karta hai
kaisa talab hai jo us ko hara kar na saka

yun guzare se guzar jaenge din apne bhi
par ye hasrat hi rahegi ki guzare na gae

khun pi pi ke pila karti hai angur ki bel
gar yahi rang-e-tamanna tha chalo yunhi sahi

khun piti rahi badhti rahi konpal konpal
chhanw taron ki shagufon ko numu deti rahi

narm shakhon ko thapakte rahe ayyam ke hath
yunhi din bit gae subh hui sham hui

ab magar yaad nahin kya tha maal-e-ummid
ek tahrir hai halki si lahu ki baqi

bel phalti hai to kanton ko chhupa leti hai
zindagi apni pareshan thi pareshan hi rahi

chahta ye tha mere zakhm ke angur bandhen
ye na chaha tha mera jam-e-tahi rah jae

hath phailae udhar dekh rahi hai wo babul
sochti hogi koi mujh sa hai ye bhi tanha

ghir gaya zehn gham-e-zist ke andazon mein
kaisa talab hai jo us ko hara kar na saka

kash is waqt koi pir-e-khamida aa kar
mere shanon ko thapakta gham-e-tanhai mein