didani hai zakhm-e-dil aur aap se parda bhi kya
ek zara nazdik aa kar dekhiye aisa bhi kya

hum bhi na-waqif nahin aadab-e-mahfil se magar
chikh uthen khamoshiyan tak aisa sannata bhi kya

khud hamin jab dast-e-qatil ko dua dete rahe
phir koi apni sitamgari pe sharmata bhi kya

jitne aaine the sab tute hue the samne
shishagar baaton se apni hum ko bahlata bhi kya

hum ne sari zindagi ek aarzu mein kat di
farz kije kuchh nahin khoya magar paya bhi kya

be-mahaba tujh se aksar samna hota raha
zindagi tu ne mujhe dekha na ho aisa bhi kya

be-talab ek justuju si be-sabab ek intizar
umr-e-be-payan ka itna mukhtasar qissa bhi kya

ghair se bhi jab mila 'akhtar' to hans kar hi mila
aadmi achchha ho lekin is qadar achchha bhi kya