har ek phul ke daman mein khar kaisa hai
batae kaun ki rang-e-bahaar kaisa hai

wo samne the to dil ko sukun na tha hasil
chale gae hain to ab be-qarar kaisa hai

yaqin tha ki na aaega mujh se milne koi
to phir ye dil ko mere intizar kaisa hai

agar kisi ne tumhaara bhi dil nahin toda
to aansuon ka rawan aabshaar kaisa hai

mujhe khabar hai ki hai be-wafa bhi zalim bhi
magar wafa ka teri e'tibar kaisa hai

tere makan ki diwar par jo hai chaspan
talash kis ki hai ye ishtihaar kaisa hai

ye kis ke khun se hai daman-e-chaman rangin
ye surkh phul sar-e-shakh-dar kaisa hai

ab un ki barq-e-nazar ko dikhao aaina
wo puchhte hain dil-e-be-qarar kaisa hai

meri khabar to kisi ko nahin magar 'akhtar'
zamana apne liye hoshiyar kaisa hai