ek arz-e-muddaa hone se pahle
soch lena tha khuda hone se pahle

khwahishen kitni adhuri rah gai hain
jism o jaan mein fasla hone se pahle

aakhiri tahrir hai aab-e-rawan par
aakhiri bosa qaza hone se pahle

is qadar mitha na hona chahiye tha
un labon ko zaiqa hone se pahle

us ki aankhon ke piyale nachte hain
kho gae kitne nasha hone se pahle

kaun jaane dubna hai ya ubharna
paniyon mein rasta hone se pahle

khud-kushi kar li chamakte chand ne bhi
aakhir-e-shab aaina hone se pahle

shahr se shadan guzar jaana hai behtar
mushtail aab-o-hawa hone se pahle

wo makin-e-dil hua khurshid-'akbar'
ghar ka darwaza khula hone se pahle