lab-e-sukut pe ek harf-e-be-nawa bhi nahin
wo raat hai ki kisi ko sar-e-dua bhi nahin

khamosh rahiye to kya kya sadaen aati hain
pukariye to koi mud ke dekhta bhi nahin

jo dekhiye to jilau mein hain mehr-o-mah-o-nujum
jo sochiye to safar ki ye ibtida bhi nahin

qadam hazar jihat-ashna sahi lekin
guzar gaya hun jidhar se wo rasta bhi nahin

kisi ke tum ho kisi ka khuda hai duniya mein
mere nasib mein tum bhi nahin khuda bhi nahin

ye kaisa khwab hai pichhle pahar ke sannato
bikhar gaya hai aur aankhon se chhutta bhi nahin

is izhdiham mein kya nam kya nishan 'akhtar'
mila wo hans ke magar mujh se aashna bhi nahin