aalam-o-ranj-o-gham ki tabhi lab-kushai thi
jab sahilon pe ashkon ne basti basai thi

dariya chamak raha tha sitaron ke zor par
ek raat kahkashan ne kahani sunai thi

dil mein yaqin hai ki ye be dagh kaenat
is ittifaq ne nahin rab ne banai thi

kis ne udasiyon se ye shamen nikali hain
kis ne khamoshiyon se ye wadi sajai thi

tannazi-e-jamal tha wo tumtaraq-e-husn
chehre pe khak ishq ki jalwa-numai thi

mujh ko guman hua tha dhuan dekh kar wahan
us taqche mein sirf diye ki dahai thi

main us ke samne se guzar ke gaya to 'john'
nazren nahin milin thin faqat ham-nawai thi