ai kash koi aae kharidar ki tarah
apna bhi dil hai misr ke bazar ki tarah

jangal ki aag se wo kisi taur kam nahin
jo bhi zaban chalti hai talwar ki tarah

kal tak jo shahryar tha aur ba-waqar tha
ab ji raha hai zindagi nadar ki tarah

sab dekhte hain aap ke aamal raat din
kije na baat sahib-e-kirdar ki tarah

guzra hai hum pe barha aalam judai ka
jage hain hum bhi dida-e-bedar ki tarah

kahne ko gham-gusar hain is shahr mein bahut
milta nahin magar koi gham-khwar ki tarah

shayad hamare shahr ka mausam kharab hai
jis ko bhi dekho chalta hai bimar ki tarah

do pal sukun bahut hai masafat mein dosto
wo mehrban hain saya-e-diwar ki tarah

kahte hain log us ke hue walwale tamam
jo ji raha tha zindagi zardar ki tarah

ek ek qatra khun ka faraaz-e-salib se
barsa hai dil pe abr-e-guhar-bar ki tarah

zakhmon ki fasl apne badan mein samet kar
dharti ko kar gaya wo saman-zar ki tarah

us se hisab-e-zindagi mangega kaun 'shauq'
jita raha jo shahr mein nadar ki tarah