khwab aankhon mein nahin dil mein tamanna bhi nahin
ishq mayus hua ho magar aisa bhi nahin

un ki ulfat mein uthae hain hazaron ilzam
aaj tak aankh utha kar jinhen dekha bhi nahin

rah-e-hasti mein nigahen to bhatak sakti hain
dil bhatak jae magar itna andhera bhi nahin

badh ke aae the kai gham pae taskin lekin
gham-e-dauran ke muqabil koi thahra bhi nahin

sharam ai baada-gusaron ki bhari mahfil mein
badh ke khud jam utha le koi aisa bhi nahin

kya tamasha hai ki aae hain tasalli dene
wo jinhen dard-shanasi ka saliqa bhi nahin

har nazar sath-e-tabassum pe thahar jati hai
kya zamane mein koi gham ka shanasa bhi nahin

lakh nazuk sahi ummid ka rishta lekin
dil ko ehsas ki tauhin gawara bhi nahin

zindagi ko nae khwabon se saja kar lao
ye tabassum to mere gham ka mudawa bhi nahin

hadse ho chuke 'arshad' gham-e-ulfat ke tamam
ab to shayad dil-e-mayus tadapta bhi nahin