hum ne ek umr mein kya kya na jahan dekhe hain
aasman dekhe hain aur qar-e-nihan dekhe hain

jin ki baaton mein tajalli thi khamoshi mein tilism
wahi arbab-e-hunar sokhta-jaan dekhe hain

naghma-o-sher-o-zaban ahl-e-siyasat ke qatil
puri tahzib ke mitne ke nishan dekhe hain

iqitdar-o-hawas-o-shor-o-munafiq-nazari
jin ka shewa raha wo pir-e-mughan dekhe hain

jins-e-arzan ki tarah bikte hue ahl-e-qalam
ishtihaaron mein saje gul-badnan dekhe hain

jin se tarikh ke safhat bhi jag uthte the
wo zamane wo fasane guzaran dekhe hain

wo hikayat raqam kin ki qalam khun roya
har rag-e-tak pe zakhmon ke wahan dekhe hain

ek ek harf se raushan hue jate the ufuq
aaine sehr-e-dabistan mein nihan dekhe hain

jin ki jadu-asari tana-e-ahabab bani
wo tilismat likhe harf-o-bayan dekhe hain

jin ki tabir mein ek umr ganwa di hum ne
raaz wo sina-e-giti mein nihan dekhe hain

jalte baam-o-dar-o-diwar sulagte hue shahr
jin se pathra gain aankhen wo saman dekhe hain

aasman-gir the shoale khas-o-khashak the jism
qaid-e-be-jurm mein sab pir-o-jawan dekhe hain

dil ne har zarra ke hamrah dhdakna sikha
tab nawaon mein ye mani ke jahan dekhe hain