jo parind khwahishon ke kabhi hum shikar karte
na gila kisi se rahta na ye dil figar karte

wo ilahadgi yaqinan na yun ikhtiyar karte
jo zara bhi uns hum se kabhi rakhte, pyar karte

thi khamoshi-e-salasil ki bhi shart is liye bhi
kahan ja ke hashr barpa tere jaan-nisar karte

hui is qadar nadamat hamein kah ke haal-e-dil khud
na tha ye hamara maqsad unhen sogwar karte

ye faza-e-be-yaqin hi bani rabt mein tawazun
na ye rasm-o-rah rahti agar e'tibar karte

na aman nasib hoti tumhein chaar-su kabhi phir
kahin hum rawish tumhaari agar ikhtiyar karte

yahan barish-e-sitam se jo lage the zakhm un ko
hue bad-hawas aise ki kahan shumar karte

nae aashiqo batao ye kahan ki aashiqi hai
kahin ja ke dil lutate kahin jaan nisar karte

kabhi milte phir na shayad kisi mod par bhi donon
isi rah-e-pur-khatar par agar intizar karte

ye jhijhak rah-e-wafa mein, ye shikayat-e-taghaful
hamein dhadkanon mein pate agar e'tibar karte

kabhi deti hum ko mohlat jo ye gardish-e-zamana
tere zor-e-tamkanat par to zarur war karte

teri be-rukhi pe sar par na uthate aasman gar
ye tu hi bata ki kya phir tere jaan-nisar karte

yahi dil-lagi tumhaari kisi aah mein badalti
jo hamare zakhm ginte, kabhi gham shumar karte

na the hum yagana aise ki sawal uthta koi
unhen kya gharaz thi hum se jo wo intizar karte

hai ye fakhr jis pe tum ko wo swad-e-raushni hai
kabhi zulmat-e-zaman bhi kahin tar tar karte

ye jhijhak, lihaz, rutba, ye hudud, ye tawazun
kabhi haal-e-dil batate, kabhi e'tibar karte

sar-e-rah sab utarte, mah-o-aftab-o-anjum
shab-e-tar jagmagati agar intizar karte

wo jo tha amal, usi ka radd-e-amal hai 'khalid'
na to wo shikar hote na hamein shikar karte