jaan rahe ya na rahe nam rahe
sathiyo rasm-e-junun aam rahe

barha sai-e-talab ki hum ne
ye alag baat ki nakaam rahe

azmat-e-ishq se na-waqif the
jo asir-e-hawas-e-kham rahe

kya tajjub hai ki piran-e-haram
mar ke bhi talib-e-asnam rahe

kya khabar hai ki yun hi ai 'akhtar'
ta-ba-kai gardish-e-ayyam rahe