thi titliyon ke taaqub mein zindagi meri
wo shahr kya hua jis ki thi har gali meri
main apni zat ki tashrih karta phirta tha
na jaane phir kahan aawaz kho gai meri
ye sarguzisht-e-zamana ye dastan-e-hayat
adhuri baat mein bhi rah gai kami meri
hawa-e-koh-e-nida ek zara thahar ki abhi
zamana ghaur se sunta hai an-kahi meri
main itne zor se chikha chatakh gaya hai badan
phir is ke baad kisi ne nahin suni meri
ye darmiyan ka khala hi mera nahin warna
ye aasman bhi mera zamin bhi meri
kise khabar ki guhar kaise hath aate hain
samundaron se bhi gahri hai khamushi meri
koi to aae mere pas do ghadi baithe
ki kar gai mujhe tanha khud-agahi meri
kabhi kabhi to zamana raha nigahon mein
kabhi kabhi nazar aai na shakl bhi meri
mujhe khabar hai kahan hun main kaun hun 'akhtar'
ki mere nam se surat giri hui meri