chamke hue hain diwar-o-dar raunaq hai bazaron mein
kaise kaise log aae hain kaisi kaisi caron mein

main to us ke samne baitha us ka chehra padhta tha
jaane wo kya dhund raha tha angrezi akhbaron mein

wo bhi din the jab har chhutti tere sath guzarti thi
aaj magar rakkha hi kya hai hafton aur itwaron mein

jaane kis farhad ka tesha kis ke jigar ko chir gaya
khun ki dhaaren dekh raha hun patthar ki diwaron mein

jin logon ke aql-o-hunar ki dhum machi thi aalam mein
un ko bhi dekha hai ruswa shahon ke darbaron mein

phul se chehre shakh si banhen jab galiyon mein milti hain
kaun bhala phir sair ko jae hare-bhare gulzaron mein

to meri masum nazar ko bul-hawasi ka dosh na de
main to khud ko dekh raha hun tere hasin rukhsaron mein

aao un ko bahar la kar taza hawa mein bithlaen
log chhupe baithe hain kab se apni zat ke ghaaron mein

ab ke to 'betab' muri mein kuchh kuchh aag barasti thi
jalte sahra aa nikle the bhige hue kohsaron mein