muddat se lapata hai khuda jaane kya hua
phirta tha ek shakhs tumhein puchhta hua

wo zindagi thi aap the ya koi khwab tha
jo kuchh tha ek lamhe ko bas samna hua

hum ne tere baghair bhi ji kar dikha diya
ab ye sawal kya hai ki phir dil ka kya hua

so bhi wo tu na dekh saki ai hawa-e-dahr
sine mein ek charagh rakha tha jala hua

duniya ko zid numaish-e-zakhm-e-jigar se thi
fariyaad main ne ki na zamana khafa hua

har anjuman mein dhyan usi anjuman ka hai
jaga ho jaise khwab koi dekhta hua

shayad chaman mein ji na lage laut aaun main
sayyaad rakh qafas ka abhi dar khula hua

ye iztirab-e-shauq hai 'akhtar' ki gumrahi
main apne qafile se hun koson badha hua