ab kis se kahen ki kya hua tha

ab kis se kahen ki kya hua tha
ek hashr yahan bapa raha tha
dastar ki panw mein padi thi
sardar kisi pe hans raha tha


wo sham guzar gai thi aa ke
ranjur udas main khada tha
dahliz jakad rahi thi panw
pindar magar uda hua tha


sad shukr gadha hua tha qissa
kam-bakht yaqin aa gaya tha
ek bar hi aazma to lete
dar band na tha bhida hua tha


shab-khun mein raushni bahut thi
tha kaun jo dekhta raha tha
juzdan mein aayaten chhupi thin
gul-dan mein phul khil raha tha


ek shakhs ki tha wafa ka paikar
wo shakhs bhi mail-e-jafa tha
dastur wahi tha hasb-e-dastur
insaf ka qatl ho raha tha


kuchh phul khile hue the ghar mein
kuchh yaad se dil mahak raha tha
kuchh ashk gire hue the khat par
ek lafz tha jo mita hua tha


us sham tha dil bahut akela
main hanste hanste ro pada tha
thi baat bahut zara si 'ahmad'
is dil ko na jaane kya hua tha