makan milte hain kya la-makan nahin milta
nishan lakh hain lekin nishan nahin milta

kahin bhi jaen kahan aasman nahin milta
lahad hi ek jagah hai jahan nahin milta

hui hai raushan usi se hamari peshani
jabin-e-arsh ko jo aastan nahin milta

suni hai main ne bhi rangin-nawai-e-naqus
gale se mere ye waqt-e-azan nahin milta

ye chahta hun ki be-munh ke aablon se nibhe
kahin bhi khar koi be-zaban nahin milta

bahaar aate hi phulon ne chhawni chhai
ki dhundhta hun mujhe aashiyan nahin milta

ye kah raha hai tarannum hawa ki maujon ka
khamosh phulon ka husn-e-bayan nahin milta

ye shab guzar-e-haram hai zarur ai saqi
kisi se raat ko pir-e-mughan nahin milta

chale na kaam bhare khum agar na sath chalen
haram ki rah mein koson kuan nahin milta

shafaq khuli na sar-e-qabr pa-e-rangin se
zamin se jhuk ke kabhi aasman nahin milta

khuda ke waste pahuncha de koi manzil tak
bichhad gaya hun mujhe karwan nahin milta

zaban-e-haal mein in ki ajab latafat hai
kisi se phulon ka husn-e-bayan nahin milta

chale na hath gale par to khud hi chal jae
unhen gila hai ki khanjar rawan nahin milta

'riyaz' chhant liya us ne mujh se budhe ko
koi bhi dukhtar-e-raz ko jawan nahin milta