ek zamane se falak thahra hua lagta hai
koi jita hai yahan aur na koi marta hai

aazmaish ho to kya jaaniye kis ka nikle
dekhne mein to wo apna hi koi lagta hai

maut hi ki ho par ummid ki surat ho koi
na-umidi mein kahan tak koi ji sakta hai

naqsh-e-pa hain jo batate hain ki guzra hai koi
kaun guzra hai magar kis ko pata chalta hai

koi puchhe to batana nahin aata dil ko
baithe baithe kabhi rota hai kabhi hansta hai

subh ki aas na todo ki jiyoge kaise
in hawaon mein abhi ek diya jalta hai

qafila aisa muqaddar hai ki chalta hi nahin
aur chalta hai to pichhe ki taraf chalta hai

rah gai barf faqat shahr ki buniyaadon mein
phir bhi jo zarra hai suraj ka asar rakhta hai

hijr ne aise marahil se guzara hai ki ab
raat ka nam bhi aa jae to ji darta hai

dekhte dekhte kya ho gaya 'shohrat' ki wo ab
dil mein rahta hai magar dur bahut lagta hai