chehre ke khad-o-khal mein aaine jade hain
hum 'umr-e-gurezan ke muqabil mein khade hain

har sal naya sal hai har sal gaya sal
hum udte hue lamhon ki chaukhat pe pade hain

dekha hai ye parchhain ki duniya mein ki aksar
apne qad-o-qamat se bhi kuchh log bade hain

shayad ki mile zat ke zindan se rihai
diwar ko chata hai hawaon se lade hain

udte hain parinde to yahan jhil bhi hogi
tapta hai bayaban-e-badan kos kade hain

shayad koi 'isa-nafas aae unhen puchhe
ye lafz jo be-jaan se kaghaz pe pade hain

is baat ka mafhum main samjha nahin 'akhtar'
taswir mein sahil pe kai kachche ghade hain