har zehn riwayat ka maqtal na hua tha
wo aaj hua hai jo yahan kal na hua tha

kyun daud padi khalq us ek shakhs ke pichhe
kya shahr mein aage koi pagal na hua tha

the band makanon ki tarah log pur-asrar
ek bab-e-sukhan tha jo muqaffal na hua tha

dil khun kiya tum ne to pani hue jazbe
ye masala mujh se to kabhi hal na hua tha

tarik tha apni hi nazar ka koi pahlu
suraj to kabhi aankh se ojhal na hua tha

yun us ki shujaat hui mashkuk pas-e-jang
tanha wo sipahi tha jo ghael na hua tha

kab safha-e-hasti pe thi qaem koi surat
wo naqsh tha baqi jo mukammal na hua tha

thi din ki khuli dhup mere khun ki pyasi
sar mera charagh-e-shab-e-maqtal na hua tha