phul jalte hain kahin barg-o-samar jalte hain
fasl-e-gul aai hai baghon mein shajar jalte hain

allah allah jabin-e-rukh-e-jaanan ki tapish
aisa lagta hai ki ab shams-o-qamar jalte hain

kya ghazab hai ki tere shahr mein ai jaan-e-ghazal
jism-o-jaan zehn-o-nazar qalb-o-jigar jalte hain

jis taraf dekhiye ek aag ka dariya hai rawan
raste khun mein dube hain nagar jalte hain

bujh chuka hun main magar ab bhi mere naqsh-e-qadam
dekh lo ja ke sar-e-rahguzar jalte hain

jin ke sinon mein farozan hai wafa ki shamen
roz-o-shab jalte hain wo sham-o-sahar jalte hain

aap jis shahr ko pur-amn samajhte hain huzur
waqia ye hai usi shahr mein ghar jalte hain

dafatan nind se main chaunk utha ai 'akhtar'
main ne jab khwab mein dekha ki hunar jalte hain