hikayat-e-lab-o-rukhsar se aage nahin jati
tamanna kya jo tere pyar se aage nahin jati

kai tufan us manjdhaar se aage bhi hain lekin
nigah-e-na-khuda manjdhaar se aage nahin jati

main aksar sochta rahta hun tere samne ja kar
tamanna kyun lab-e-izhaar se aage nahin jati

shikast-e-shisha-e-dil ki sada uthti to hai lekin
subu-o-jam ki jhankar se aage nahin jati

nigah-o-dil ki wusat mein hamein tarmim karni hai
nazar kya hai jo husn-e-yar se aage nahin jati

ajab ahl-e-mohabbat hain kabhi teri mohabbat hain
badhi gar baat bhi to dar se aage nahin jati

ye kaise log hain 'shabnam' abhi tak jo ye kahte hain
ghazal kyun narmi-e-guftar se aage nahin jati