aarzuon ke dhadakte shahr jal kar rah gae
kaise kaise hashr khamoshi mein dhal kar rah gae

khatir-e-khasta ka ab koi nahin pursan-e-haal
kitne dildari ke unwan the badal kar rah gae

ab kahan ahd-e-wafa ki pasdari ab kahan
jo haqaeq the wo afsanon mein dhal kar rah gae

ab kahan wo sahilon se sair-e-tufan-e-hayat
ab to wo sahil talatum mein badal kar rah gae

hasil-e-gham ya gham-e-hasil mayassar kuchh nahin
zindagani ke sabhi asbab jal kar rah gae

hae wo gham jo bayan ki had mein aa sakte na the
qaid-o-ashk-o-ah se aage nikal kar rah gae

al-aman haalat ki mahshar-khirami al-aman
dagmagae is qadar goya sambhal kar rah gae

rah gaya hun ek main tanha hujum-e-barq mein
ham-nawa sare chaman ke sath jal kar rah gae

ban to sakte the wo tufan-e-qayamat-khez bhi
jo dhadakte walwale ashkon mein dhal kar rah gae

ek wo hain dalte hain mah-o-anjum par kamand
aur ek hum hain ki khwabon se bahal kar rah gae

jin ko hasil tha zamane mein sukun-e-iztirab
apne hi ehsas ke shoalon mein jal kar rah gae

jin ki khamoshi thi mashhur-e-zamana ai 'salam'
aaj un ke munh se bhi shikwe nikal kar rah gae