mahfil mein jis jagah bhi mera tazkira hua
dekha har ek shakhs ka munh tha phula hua

urdu ke waste na kiya us ne kuchh kabhi
urdu ke nam se hai ghar us ka bhara hua

ghurbat-kade ka hashr to hona tha bas yahi
logon ke aane jaane se ek rasta hua

mil to nahin gai koi dokan-e-shairi
phirta hai jo akad ke wo sha'ir bana hua

har samt qatl-e-'am hai aur shahr qatl-gah
hakim hai shahrah pe gum-sum khada hua

nausha bana ke chhoda mere dushmanon ne ab
phirta hun us ke sath mein tosha bana hua

mere hi munh pe meri ghazal wo suna gaya
aisa bhi mere sath yahan hadisa hua

main be-hisi ke shahr mein rahta hun is tarah
sagar kinare jaise ho putla khada hua

rahne do yun hi hansta-hansata 'rahim' ko
chhedo na us ko dosto dil hai dukha hua