aur zara kaj meri kulah to hoti
zat se bahar kahin panah to hoti

mujh ko agar zindagi ne kuchh na diya tha
mere shab-o-roz ki gawah to hoti

kho gai manzil to khair gard-e-safar mein
jis pe main chalta raha wo rah to hoti

khauf-zada kash koi mujh ko bhi rakhta
mere liye bhi kahin panah to hoti

lamha-e-maujud dastaras mein na hota
lamha-e-maujud par nigah to hoti

aur mujhe khalq se umid hi kya thi
meri nahin teri khair-khwah to hoti

apne charaghon ki tab dekhte hum bhi
raat tere hijr ki siyah to hoti

us ne mujhe kar diya kharab to kya hai
yun bhi meri zindagi tabah to hoti

shahar se nisbat bhi kuchh nikal hi lete
shahar ke logon se rasm-o-rah to hoti

khak pe sona hamein qubul tha 'rashid'
khak pe kuchh raunaq-e-giyah to hoti