irfan-o-agahi ke saza-war hum hue
soya pada tha shahr ki bedar hum hue

ta umr intizar sahi par ba-roz-e-hashr
achchha hua ki tere talabgar hum hue

hum par wafa-e-ahd anal-haq bhi farz tha
is waste ki mahram-e-asrar hum hue

thahregi ek din wahi meraj-e-bandagi
jo baat kah ke aaj gunahgar hum hue

hote gae wo khalq-farebi mein hoshiyar
jitna ki tajribe se samajhdar hum hue

nadan the ki masnad-e-irshad chhod kar
halqa-ba-gosh-e-sirat-o-kirdar hum hue

is daur-e-khud-farosh mein 'akhtar' ba-sad khulus
khamyaza-sanj-e-jurat-e-izhaar hum hue