main dasht-e-zindagi ko chala tha nikhaarne
ek qahqaha lagaya guzarti bahaar ne

guzra hun jab sulagte hue naqsh chhodta
dekha hai mujh ko ghaur se har rahguzar ne

mai-kash ne jam-e-zahr hi munh se laga liya
pagal bana diya jo nashe ke utar ne

insan hadd-e-nur se aage nikal gaya
chhoda magar na us ko lahu ki pukar ne

un mah-rukhon ki hum se jo ye be-rukhi rahi
jaana padega chand pe kuchh din guzarne

karte hain wo sitare bhi ab mujh pe chashmaken
chamka diya jinhen meri shab-ha-e-tar ne

un gul-kadon ko bhi koi ai kash dekhta
jhulsa hai jin ko aatish-e-fasl-e-bahaar ne

laun kahan se un ke liye aur gham-gusar
jo gham diye hain mujh ko mere gham-gusar ne

meri sarisht mein thi mohabbat ki parwarish
mujh ko qalam diya mere parwardigar ne

bakhsha hai apne husn ka partaw mujhe 'karam'
fitrat ke har jamil-o-hasin shahkar ne