'ishqi'-sahib likhna hai to koi nai tahrir likho
ab tak tum ne khwab likhe ab khwabon ki tabir likho

is uljhan ko suljhane ki kaun si hai tadbir likho
ishq agar hai jurm to mujrim ranjha hai ya hir likho

jahan bhi qasr-e-shirin dekho 'khusrow' ki jagir likho
koh jahan hael hua us par khun se ju-e-shir likho

dasht se aazadi ki hawaen un ko bulane aati hain
ahl-e-junun ko rokne wali kaun si hai zanjir likho

shahr-e-sukhan ke izzat-daro kuchh to kisi ka pas karo
koi to hoga jis ko aakhir tum sahib-e-tauqir likho

ham-watanon ke dard ka darman aisa kuchh dushwar nahin
nam-e-watan hai ism-e-azam khak-e-watan iksir likho

apni kamanden phenk ke jis ko qaid kiya hai zulmat ne
wo suraj kab ubhrega kab phailegi tanwir likho

apne ahd ki saffaki par ye khamoshi tanz nahin
koi to hoga is ka sabab kyun baithe ho dil-gir likho

jab tak sar se khun na bahega koh-kani hai kham khayal
teshe ko khallaq kaho ya patthar ko taswir likho

dha de jo insan ke dil mein rang o nasl ki diwaren
koi to dastur-e-mohabbat aisa aalamgir likho

har har daur ke likhne wale hashiye us ke likhte hain
apne ahd mein nuskha-e-dil ki tum bhi koi tafsir likho

harf ki taqat be-payan hai harf ke hain imkan bahut
harf ko zinda karna sikho phir chahe taqdir likho

dil par jis ke naqsh na ubhrin wo kya abru kaisi nazar
kitna hi tum tir nazar ko abru ko shamshir likho

raushan kaise hoga sawad-e-harf jo khun-e-dil na jala
charba tum 'ghaalib' ka utaro chahe ba-rang-e-'mir' likho

apne dukhde likh likh kar diwan to tum ne jama kiya
dil ko jo badle ab koi aisa sher-e-pur-tasir likho