kuchh baat hi thi aisi ki thame jigar gae
hum aur jate bazm-e-adu mein magar gae

ye to khabar nahin ki kahan aur kidhar gae
lekin yahan se dur kuchh ahl-e-safar gae

arman jo hum ne jama kiye the shabab mein
piri mein wo khuda ko khabar hai kidhar gae

rutba buland hai mere daghon ka is qadar
main hun zamin pe dagh mere ta-qamar gae

rukhsar par hai rang-e-haya ka farogh aaj
bose ka nam main ne liya wo nikhar gae

duniya bas is se aur zyaada nahin hai kuchh
kuchh roz hain guzarne aur kuchh guzar gae

jaane laga hai dil ki taraf un ka hath ab
nale shab-e-firaq ke kuchh kaam kar gae

hasrat ka ye maza hai ki nikle nahin kabhi
arman nahin hain wo ki shab aae sahar gae

bas ek zat hazrat-e-'shaida' ki hai yahan
dehli se rafta rafta sab ahl-e-hunar gae