barf se ladta tha mere pas pani kyun nahin
ab sawal uthta hai dariya mein rawani kyun nahin

dastan padh kar meri akhbar mein rota hai wo
aa ke sunta dukh mera meri zabani kyun nahin

main tera be-khwab bachcha man bata mere liye
koi lori kyun nahin koi kahani kyun nahin

dubna chahunga to khushki mein ho jaunga gharq
main na puchhunga kabhi dariya mein pani kyun nahin

mera qad uncha hai lekin ba-hunar wo bhi to hain
shahr ke bolon pe teri mehrbani kyun nahin

pas us ke paisa bangle gadiyan shohrat bhi hai
'ashk' ji wo shakhs phir bhi khandani kyun nahin