satwen number ki surat wo bhi pur-asrar tha
main sifar ki tarah sab kuchh tha magar be-kar tha

har-nafas ab tak mere dil ki ajab haalat rahi
maut se darta bhi tha jine se bhi bezar tha

ek shanasa na-shanasai thi mere har taraf
mera ghar mere liye to ghar na tha bazar tha

meri barbaadi ka zamin dusra koi nahin
main ki apne wahimon ka aap zimmedar tha

jism hi kya ruh tak zakhmon se chhalni ho gai
sans ka rishta na tha chalti hui talwar tha

ab bhala hasil bhi kya hoga ba-juz sharmindagi
kya kahun 'shadab' kis se barsar-e-paikar tha