dekh husn-e-yar ki ranaiyan
ku-ba-ku aashiq ki wo ruswaiyan

bazm mein auron ke hain wo jalwa-gar
aur nasibe mein mere tanhaiyan

umr sari thi haqiqat ki talash
mujh ko manzil par milin parchhaiyan

ashk dukh majnun ki qismat the to kyon
husn-e-laila pa gaya zebaiyan

sog hai aashiq ka ku-e-yar mein
baj rahi hain sham se shahnaiyan

'akhtar' un ki yaad se aabaad dil
rashk-e-bazm-e-ghair ye tanhaiyan