kushtagan-e-gardish-e-ayyam hona tha hue
gum the hum khwabon mein jo anjam hona tha hue

har fasad-e-nau pe ek qanun-e-nau banta gaya
phir bhi subh-o-sham qatl-e-am hona tha hue

apni lash apne hi kandhon par liye hum umar bhar
ham-safar haalat ke har gam hona tha hue

zulmaton ne raat ki mange lahu ke phir charagh
phir ujalon ko hamare nam hona tha hue

tha bapa har shahr mein hangama-e-zagh-o-zaghan
aur hum shahin zer-e-dam hona tha hue

is sitam-ijad ki har tarz-e-nau par jaan di
phir bhi zer-e-khanjar-e-dushnam hona tha hue

aabru hum ne badhai shama ki shohrat bhi di
hum se parwane magar gumnam hona tha hue

ab to mail hai numaish par mizaj-e-husn bhi
ahl-e-dil ko ishq mein nakaam hona tha hue

ek mitha zahr jaise pyar tha us ka 'kalim'
jaan-ba-lab jam-e-lab-e-gulfam hona tha hue