har ek shakhs mera shahr mein shanasa tha
magar jo ghaur se dekha to main akela tha

wo khwab aish-e-tarab ka jo hum ne dekha tha
haqiqaton se pare tha hasin dhoka tha

khuda hamein bhi dikha de wo daur kaisa tha
khulus-o-mehr ka har shakhs jis mein dariya tha

sitam bhi mujh pe wo karta raha karam ki tarah
wo mehrban to na tha mehrban jaisa tha

guzishta raat bhi hum ne yunhi guzari thi
zamin ko farsh kiya aasman odha tha

usi ko matlabi 'taban' kaha zamane ne
dua salam jo chhote bade se rakhta tha