naqab-e-rukh utha kar husn jab jalwa-figan hoga
na puchho kya qayamat-khez rang-e-anjuman hoga

na gul hanste na kaliyan muskuraatin phir bahaaran mein
khabar hoti agar un ko khizan-khurda chaman hoga

ghariq-e-bahr hona aadmi ke haq mein behtar hai
na mamnun-e-zamin hoga na muhtaj-e-kafan hoga

jafa dhate rahenge bas yunhi din-raat dar-parda
samajh baithe hain wo badnam to charkh-e-kuhan hoga

safar mein bhi musafir ke bahalne ko ba-khamoshi
kabhi ahbab ka qissa kabhi zikr-e-watan hoga

abhi to patte patte par bahaaren tuti padtin hain
khuda jaane hamare baad kya rang-e-chaman hoga

ajal jab chhin legi aadmi se tab-e-goyai
sukut-e-der-pa honton pe phir ja-e-sukhan hoga

kise malum tha yun dil ki himmat sath chhodegi
fana khud apne teshe se bil-akhir kohkan hoga

khuda ke ghar bhi yun to be-talab jata nahin koi
bulaoge to han 'rifat' sharik-e-anjuman hoga