aab o hawa hai barsar-e-paikar kaun hai
mere siwa ye mujh mein giraftar kaun hai

ek raushni si rah dikhati hai har taraf
dosh-e-hawa pe sahib-e-raftar kaun hai

ek ek kar ke khud se bichhadne lage hain hum
dekho to ja ke qafila-salar kaun hai

bosidgi ke khauf se sab uth ke chal diye
phir bhi ye zer-e-saya-e-diwar kaun hai

qadmon mein sae ki tarah raunde gae hain hum
hum se ziyaada tera talabgar kaun hai

phaila raha hai daman-e-shab ki hikayaten
suraj nahin to ye pas-e-kohsar kaun hai

kya shai hai jis ke waste tute pade hain log
ye bhid kyun hai raunaq-e-bazar kaun hai

ai dil ab apni lau ko bacha le ki shahr mein
tu jal-bujha to tera aza-dar kaun hai

ab tak isi khayal se soe nahin 'salim'
hum so gae to phir yahan bedar kaun hai