kab se sunsan kharabon mein pada tha ye jahan
kab se khwabida the is wadi-e-khara ke sanam

kis ko malum ye sadiyon ke pur-asrar bharam
kaun jaane ki ye patthar bhi kabhi the insan

sirf lab-dokht parbat hain jahan nauha-kunan
na dar-o-baam na diwar o daricha koi

koi dahliz-e-shikasta na harim-e-viran
shahr ke shahr hain patal ke daman mein nihan

kaun pahchanta zulmat hain siyahi ke nishan
jo nazar dhundne utthi wo nazar bhi khoi

chashm-e-mahtab bhi shabnam ki jagah khun roi
ilm ne aaj kurede hain wo zulmat ke dher

waqt ne jis pe bithae the fana ke pahre
jag uthe sur-e-sarafil se gunge bahre

ta-abad jin ke muqaddar mein thi duniya andher
ye magar azmat-e-insan hai ki taqdir ke pher?

ye imaraat, ye minar, ye gulzar, ye khet
toda-e-khak se hasti ne liya taza janm

ji uthe wadi-e-khamosh ke be-jaan sanam
phir koi chirega zarre ka jigar qatra-e-yam

dafn kar dega jo khaliq ko bhi makhluq samet
aur ye aabaadiyan ban jaengi phir ret hi ret