sare din dasht-e-tajassus mein bhatak kar so gaya
sham ki aaghosh mein suraj bhi thak kar so gaya

aakhir-e-shab main bhi kha kar khwab-awar goliyan
chand lamhe nashsha-e-gham se bahak kar so gaya

ye sukut-e-sham ye hangama-e-zehn-e-bashar
ruh hai bedar lekin jism thak kar so gaya

aakhir is daur-e-pur-ashob ka har aadmi
khwab-e-mustaqbil ke jangal mein bhatak kar so gaya

chand din gulshan mein naghmat-e-masarrat chhed kar
shakh-e-gham par ruh ka panchhi chahak kar so gaya

aakhirash sare chaman ko de ke husn-e-zindagi
maut ke bistar pe har ghuncha mahak kar so gaya

zindagi bhar ab andheri raat mein hai jagna
ab to qismat ka sitara bhi chamak kar so gaya

paikar-e-alfaz mein ek aag dahkata hua
kaghzi sahra mein ek shoala bhadak kar so gaya

'kaif' yun aaghosh-e-fan mein zehn ko nind aa gai
jaise man ki god mein bachcha sisak kar so gaya