naqsh fariyaadi hai kis ki shokhi-e-tahrir ka
kaghzi hai pairahan har paikar-e-taswir ka

for favours from whose playful hand, does the word aspire
each one's an abject supplicant in paper-like attire

kaw kaw-e-sakht-jaani hae-tanhai na puchh
subh karna sham ka lana hai ju-e-shir ka

what constant pain this loneliness you may not believe
like from mountains drawing milk, is passing morn to eve

jazba-e-be-ikhtiyar-e-shauq dekha chahiye
sina-e-shamshir se bahar hai dam shamshir ka

the spirit of love's frenzied state is worth, truly, seeing
as though sharpness of the sword exists outside its being

aagahi dam-e-shunidan jis qadar chahe bichhae
muddaa anqa hai apne aalam-e-taqrir ka

awareness may well cast its net of knowing all around
what i speak is like a phoenix, unknowable, profound

bas-ki hun 'ghaalib' asiri mein bhi aatish zer-e-pa
mu-e-atish dida hai halqa meri zanjir ka

even in bondage, passion's so, there's fire neath my feet
the chains that hold me are as though,hair singed by fire's heat

aatishin-pa hun gudaz-e-wahshat-e-zindan na puchh
mu-e-atish dida hai har halqa yan zanjir ka

shokhi-e-nairang said-e-wahshat-e-taus hai
dam-e-sabza mein hai parwaz-e-chaman taskhir ka

lazzat-e-ijad-e-naz afsun-e-arz-e-zauq-e-qatl
nal aatish mein hai tegh-e-yar se nakhchir ka

khisht pusht-e-dast-e-ijz o qalib aaghosh-e-widaa
pur hua hai sail se paimana kis tamir ka

wahshat-e-khwab-e-adam shor-e-tamasha hai 'asad'
jo maza jauhar nahin aaina-e-tabir ka