meri aankhon se zahir khun-fishani ab bhi hoti hai
nigahon se bayan dil ki kahani ab bhi hoti hai

surur-ara sharab-e-arghawani ab bhi hoti hai
mere qadmon mein duniya ki jawani ab bhi hoti hai

koi jhonka to lati ai nasim atraf-e-kanan tak
sawad-e-misr mein ambar-fishani ab bhi hoti hai

wo shab ko mushk-bu pardon mein chhup kar aa hi jate hain
mere khwabon par un ki mehrbani ab bhi hoti hai

kahin se hath aa jae to hum ko bhi koi la de
suna hai is jahan mein shadmani ab bhi hoti hai

hilal o badr ke naqshe sabaq dete hain insan ko
ki nakaami bina-e-kaamrani ab bhi hoti hai

kahin aghyar ke khwabon mein chhup chhup kar na jate hon
wo pahlu mein hain lekin bad-gumani ab bhi hoti hai

samajhta hai shikast-e-tauba ashk-e-tauba ko zahid
meri aankhon ki rangat arghawani ab bhi hoti hai

wo barsaten wo baaten wo mulaqaten kahan hamdam
watan ki raat hone ko suhani ab bhi hoti hai

khafa hain phir bhi aa kar chhed jate hain tasawwur mein
hamare haal par kuchh mehrbani ab bhi hoti hai

zaban hi mein na ho tasir to main kya karun naseh
teri baaton se paida sargirani ab bhi hoti hai

tumhaare gesuon ki chhanw mein ek raat guzri thi
sitaron ki zaban par ye kahani ab bhi hoti hai

pas-e-tauba bhi pi lete hain jam-e-ghuncha-o-gul se
bahaaron mein junun ki mehmani ab bhi hoti hai

koi khush ho meri mayusiyan fariyaad karti hain
ilahi kya jahan mein shadmani ab bhi hoti hai

buton ko kar diya tha jis ne majbur-e-sukhan 'akhtar'
labon par wo nawa-e-asmani ab bhi hoti hai