tanhaiyon ki barf thi bistar pe ja-ba-ja
shoalon ka raqs raat badan par na ho saka

parchhaiyon ke aariz-o-lab kaun chumta
lazzat-farosh jism se main dur hi raha

main ne hi apne dil ke waraq par use likha
jo hadisa kisi se raqam ho nahin saka

har-samt khinch gae teri yaadon ke saeban
kal raat dard laut gaya chikhta hua

yaadon ne iztirab ki rekhaen khinch din
warna mere sukun ka kaghaz safed tha

chehron se ud chuke hain shanasaiyon ke aks
ab doston ki khoj mein tu umr mat ganwa

dil mein sitam ka zahr labon par mai-e-khulus
yaran-e-khush-kalam ka ab tajraba hua

shayad use yaqin ki ungli na chhu sake
ek shakhs apne-ap se barson nahin mila

hail thi raste mein riwayat ki khalij
wo dil ki baat apni zaban tak na la saka

main chup raha to qaid ki miad badh gai
chikha to aur halqa-e-zanjir kas gaya

pani ke intizar mein phir ret phankiye
'akhtar' ye din bhi dhup ki daldal mein dhans gaya