hum zamin ka aatishin ubhaar dekhte rahe
sahme sahme se hi bas ghubar dekhte rahe

shohraten, ye daulaten, ye masnaden, milin pa hum
be-niyaz hi rahe, hazar dekhte rahe

aakhirash zamana un ko chhod aage badh gaya
har qadam jo izzat-o-waqar dekhte rahe

un ko phir aman kahan nasib honi thi, ki jo
har maqam se rah-e-farar dekhte rahe

ek ek kar ke qatl ho rahi thi phir bhi hum
apni khwahishon ki ek qatar dekhte rahe

hai muhafiz-e-chaman ka mujrimana taur ye
nuch gai kali kali pa khar dekhte rahe

sab siyah tha kahin na sab safed, phir bhi hum
lail dekhte rahe, nahaar dekhte rahe

bahar apne khol se na aa sake tamam umr
hum darun-e-zat khalfashaar dekhte rahe

hausla na kawishen, amal na rabt-e-asman
hum ki hasraton ka ek mazar dekhte rahe

aaftab o kahkashan, ye chand, tare dur se
raushni ka bil-yaqin madar dekhte rahe

ab gila hai kyun madad ka aasman se, jab ki hum
kayar aise the ki khud pe war dekhte rahe

tere bin hayat ki soch bhi gunah thi
hum qarib-e-jaan tera hisar dekhte rahe

dusron ke haq ki wo ladai lad sakenge kya
wo jo apne aap ko bhi khwar dekhte rahe

'khalid' aise bhi to hain kinare baith kar hi jo
bahar mein chadhaw aur utar dekhte rahe