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