in aankhon mein kai sapne kai arman the lekin
sukut-e-lab ki tah mein kis qadar tufan the lekin

aqidat kab thi isnad-e-shuur-e-fahm ki qail
hujum-e-shahr ka kuchh parsa iman the lekin

rasai manzil-e-maqsud tak mumkin si lagti thi
ba-zahir aagahi ke marhale aasan the lekin

laga kar un ko dil se main safar karta raha barson
wo kuchh lamhe jo mere hauslon ki jaan the lekin

agarche kuchh nigahen tir barsati rahin paiham
agarche kuchh rawayye bais-e-nuqsan the lekin

qalam un par uthana chahta tha main ba-har-surat
mere chaaron taraf bikhre hue unwan the lekin

umur-e-saltanat takrar-e-adab-e-shahanshahi
murassa khwab-gahen masnaden dalan the lekin

ye tahriren ye taswiren ye sab qisse ye sab chehre
mere guzre hue ayyam ki pahchan the lekin

kabhi hum dar-ba-dar bhi man ki aqlim-e-mohabbat ke
sarir-arai mutlaq bakht-war sultan the lekin