sawal be-aman ban ke rah gae
jawab imtihan ban ke rah gae

had-e-nigah tak buland falsafe
gharon ke saeban ban ke rah gae

jo zehan, aagahi ki kar-gah the
khayal ki dukan ban ke rah gae

bayaz par sambhal sake na tajrabe
phisal pade bayan ban ke rah gae

kiran kiran yaqin jaise raste
dhuan dhuan guman ban ke rah gae

ziyaen bantte the, chand the kabhi
gahan laga to dan ban ke rah gae

mera wajud shahr shahr ho gaya
kahin kahin nishan 'ban' ke rah gae

kamar jawab de ke jhuk gai badan
sawaliya nishan ban ke rah gae

main fan ki saaton ko lab na de saka
nuqush be-zaban ban ke rah gae

nafas nafas talab talab the 'saz' hum
qadam qadam takan ban ke rah gae