ab qais hai koi na koi aabla-pa hai
dil aath pahar apni haden dhund raha hai

ehsas ki wadi mein koi saut na surat
ye manzil-e-irfan tak aane ka sila hai

zakhmon ke bayaban mein koi phul na patthar
yaadon ke jazire mein na but hain na khuda hai

ek khak ke paikar ka tamasha hai sadak par
har shakhs yahan qahr ki taswir bana hai

mitti ke gharaunde mein sitaron ke diye hain
aangan mein andhera na ujala na hawa hai

ab anjuman-e-shauq mein shamen na patinge
ab marg-e-musalsal ki saza hai na jaza hai

chashmon ko shikayat hai ki shoalon mein ghire hain
sahra ko ye dukh hai ki pada sukh raha hai

ab nakhl-e-rah-e-shauq na sae na manazil
ab aabru-e-ishq na sauda na wafa hai

ab panw musafir hain nafas marhala-e-zist
ab waqt ke hathon pe na khun hai na hina hai

khun-rang shafaq-rang khizan-rang hain chehre
jismon pe kafan hai na koi surkh qaba hai

suraj ko hatheli pe lakiron ki tamanna
ab chand ki thaali mein kiran hai na diya hai

ab dasht ke sine pe faqat aag bichhi hai
ab naqsh-e-kaf-e-pa hai na ab bang-e-dara hai

har aankh chalati hui tashkik ke neze
har zehn tajassus ki rida odh chuka hai

alfaz ke chehre se ayan shan-e-khamoshi
honton pe sawalat ka ek jal bichha hai

kyun sham ko bahon mein ulajhne ki hawas hai
kyun subh ki palkon mein koi khwab chhupa hai

kyun raat ke mathe pe chamakte hain nagine
kyun din ke rag-o-pai mein koi hashr bapa hai

mashriq ke darichon se ghutan jhank rahi hai
maghrib ki fazaon mein dhuan phail chuka hai

aashob-e-nazar ho ki tamannaon ke nashtar
har tasht mein zakhmon ka ek ambar laga hai

mandir ke gajar khak par ab chup se pade hain
masjid ke manaron ka sira tut chuka hai

diwar bhi diwar se aazad nahin hai
mauhum khalaon mein bhi zindan-e-hawa hai

suqraat tah-e-khak yahi soch raha hai
ab zahr faqat pyas bujhane ki dawa hai

ab najd ke sahra mein na kante na sadaen
ab qais hai koi na koi aabla-pa hai

yun raat jab aai hai to rukna hi pada hai
dast-e-tah-e-sang-amada paiman-e-wafa hai

majburi o dawa-e-giraftari-e-ulfat
har ahd mein tahzib ne ye dhong racha hai