ab batao jaegi zindagi kahan yaro
phir hain barq ki nazren su-e-ashiyan yaro

ab na koi manzil hai aur na rahguzar koi
jaane qafila bhatke ab kahan kahan yaro

phul hain ki lashen hain bagh hai ki maqtal hai
shakh shakh hota hai dar ka guman yaro

maut se guzar kar ye kaisi zindagi pai
fikr pa-ba-jaulan hai gung hai zaban yaro

turbaton ki shamen hain aur gahri khamoshi
ja rahe the kis jaanib aa gae kahan yaro

rahzan ke bare mein aur kya kahun khul kar
mir-e-karwan yaro mir-e-karwan yaro

sirf zinda rahne ko zindagi nahin kahte
kuchh gham-e-mohabbat ho kuchh gham-e-jahan yaro

waqt ka taqaza to aur bhi hai kuchh lekin
kuchh nahin to ho jao mere ham-zaban yaro

ek main hun jis ko tum mante nahin 'shair'
aur ek main hi hun tum mein nukta-dan yaro