karan karan nazar mein meri har taraf sahab tha
zamin rahi ye tishna-lab kahin magar na aab tha

badal chuke hain sab mere dil-o-nazar ke zawiye
nazar padi thi us ki ek ajib inqalab tha

ki naqsh dil pe ho gai hai qurbaton ki dastan
mahak rahi hai yasmin khila hua gulab tha

shadid abr-o-baad thi wo zehn-o-dil ke darmiyan
badan-zamin gharq thi lahu mein iztirab tha

nazar ke qil-o-qal mein ye falsafe ki baat kya
main sar-ba-sar sawal tha sarapa wo jawab tha

ki gurg mein badal gae wo jitne mere yar the
shaghaal jaan-nisar the ajib mera khwab tha

ye zindagi 'nadim' ji tazad ki hai dastan
ki matmah us ka aur tha jo mera intikhab tha