jab yas hui to aahon ne sine se nikalna chhod diya
ab khushk-mizaj aanhken bhi huin dil ne bhi machalna chhod diya

nawak-fagani se zalim ki jangal mein hai ek sannata sa
murghan-e-khush-alhan ho gae chup aahu ne uchhalna chhod diya

kyun kibr-o-ghurur is daur pe hai kyun dost falak ko samjha hai
gardish se ye apni baz aaya ya rang badalna chhod diya

badli wo hawa guzra wo saman wo rah nahin wo log nahin
tafrih kahan aur sair kuja ghar se bhi nikalna chhod diya

wo soz-o-gudaz us mahfil mein baqi na raha andher hua
parwanon ne jalna chhod diya shamon ne pighalna chhod diya

har gam pe chand aanhken nigaran har mod pe ek licence-talab
us park mein aakhir ai 'akbar' main ne to tahalna chhod diya

kya din ko quwwat den ye jawan jab hausla-afzan koi nahin
kya hosh sambhaalen ye ladke khud us ne sambhalna chhod diya

iqbaal musaid jab na raha rakkhe ye qadam jis manzil mein
ashjar se saya dur hua chashmon ne ubalna chhod diya

allah ki rah ab tak hai khuli aasar-o-nishan sab qaem hain
allah ke bandon ne lekin us rah mein chalna chhod diya

jab sar mein hawa-e-taat thi sarsabz shajar ummid ka tha
jab sar-sar-e-isyan chalne lagi is ped ne phalna chhod diya

us hur-laqa ko ghar lae ho tum ko mubarak ai 'akbar'
lekin ye qayamat ki tum ne ghar se jo nikalna chhod diya