na jaane sher mein kis dard ka hawala tha
ki jo bhi lafz tha wo dil dukhane wala tha

ufuq pe dekhna tha main qatar qazon ki
mera rafiq kahin dur jaane wala tha

mera khayal tha ya khaulta hua pani
mere khayal ne barson mujhe ubaala tha

abhi nahin hai mujhe sard o garm ki pahchan
ye mere hathon mein angar tha ki zhaala tha

main aaj tak koi waisi ghazal na likh paya
wo saneha to bahut dil dukhane wala tha

maani-e-shab-e-tarik khul rahe the 'salim'
jahan charagh nahin tha wahan ujala tha