mushaere mein jo shaer bulae jate hain
bade saliqe se budam banae jate hain
wasul hote hain pahle ye nama-o-paigham
ki ai shahanshah-e-aqlim-e-'hafiz'-o-'khayyam'
hamari bazm-e-adab ka hai jashn-e-salana
jali hai sham-e-sukhan raqs mein hai parwana
ghata jo sheron ki chaaron taraf se aai hai
wo film ke bhi sitare samet lai hai
guzishta sal suna jis ne aap ko ye kaha
na shoale mein ye karishma, na barq mein ada
aur ab ke sal bhi khud dekh lenge ye sarkar
ki gunjte hain aqidat se kucha-o-bazar
rawana kar den kirae ki gar zarurat hai
wo aaen ghar mein hamare khuda ki qudrat hai
hamare shahr mein urdu adab ka danggal hai
ye shahar sher ka aur shaeron ka jangal hai
ab is pe shaer-e-shirin-nawa ko hai ye guman
ki mere shoale se raushan hui hai shama-e-bayan
idhar se muntazim ek soch aur bichaar mein hai
use khabar hai ki shaer kis intizar mein hai
bulane ke liye israr bhi wo karta hai
kiraya le ki na phir aae is se darta hai
bana ke likhta hai dawat ka is tarah maktub
mushaere mein diya jaega jo hai matlub
gharaz bulate hain wo shaeron ko hile se
payam aate hain ahbab ke wasile se
jo sher sunne ko apne gharon se aate hain
wo sab bater ladane ka lutf uthate hain
wo jaante hain ki shaer hai ek murgh-e-ajib
agar gala hai to shaer, nahin gala to adib
ye sochta hai chalo qismat aazma dekhen
suluk hota hai auron ke sath kya dekhen
bahut se aur bhi shaer wahan par aaenge
chalo ki marg-e-raqiban ka lutf uthaenge
hain kuchh pale hue shaer kuchh in mein khud-raw hain
purane ghag hain kuchh in mein shaer-e-nau hain
wo didani hai agar ho kuchh in mein hangama
ki is akhade ka har pahlwan hai allama
satate rahte hain shaer ko aise andeshe
yahan talak ki nikal aaen rishte aur reshe
talluqat se aakhir ko ho ke wo majbur
mushaere ko chala jaise kaam par mazdur
kisi se qarz liya aur kisi ki minnat ki
gharaz ki shaer-e-atish-nawa ne rahlat ki
phansa hai is liye phande mein shaer-e-sada
ki muntazim bhi the hushiyar ye bhi aamada
wo aa gaya hai utha kar hazar dushwari
chale jilau mein use le ke us ke darbari
kisi ke hath mein pan aur kisi ke hath mein haar
har ek ye kahta hai zahmat bahut hui sarkar
mushaere mein qadam-ranja aap farmaen
to ahl-e-zauq nashiston mein aa ke bhar jaen
tadap rahe the jo sunne ke waste ashaar
mushaere ke liye un ke pas hain darkar
ticket kharid ke jo ahl-e-zauq aae hain
wo aakhiri safon mein khud-bakhud samae hain
moazzezin jo zauq-e-adab se khali hain
reserwe un ke liye agli saf kara li hain
ye is liye ki nazar mein wo aap ki bhi rahen
jo sher wo na samajh paen aap wo na padhen
mushaere mein khwatin bunti hain sweater
sambhal ke baithe hain shaer ki tak mein hooter
padha mushaera shaer ne ehtimam ke sath
ghazal sunai tarannum ki dhum-dham ke sath
kisi ne wah kaha aur kisi ne hut kiya
mushaere ko ye samjha ki main ne lut liya
isi pe phula hua hai wah-wah hui
tamam raat kati nind bhi tabah hui
ye mahfil aa hi gai roz-o-shab ki sarhad par
janab-e-sadr bhi ab so chuke hain masnad par
jo samain hain un par bhi nind tari hai
sawari us ko mili jis pe fazl-e-bari hai
jo muntazim the sitaron ke sath dub gae
gae wo shaeron se chhup ke aur khub gae
numud-e-subh se jab muntashir hui mahfil
akela rah gaya shaer gharib-e-shahr o khajil
mushaera ba-juz andaz-e-haw-hu kya hai
tumhaare shahar mein 'ghaalib' ki aabru kya hai