tum se do harf ka khat bhi nahin likkha jata
jao ab yun bhi talluq nahin toda jata

dil ka ahwal na puchho ki bahut roz hue
is kharabe ki taraf main nahin aata jata

tishnagi ne kabhi dariyaon se milne na diya
hum jidhar jate usi rah mein sahra jata

zindagi! rahne bhi de soch ki had hoti hai
itna socha hai ki sadiyon mein na socha jata

us ko andaz-e-taghaful bhi na aaya ab tak
bhulne hi ko sahi yaad to rakkha jata

hae wo daur ki aansu bhi na the aankhon mein
aur chehra tha ki be-roe bhi bhiga jata

bhulta hi nahin wo marhala-e-raaz-o-niyaz
hum manate to koi aur bhi rutha jata

pas-e-diwar ka manzar bhi gaya apne sath
sahn-e-viran se patthar kahan phenka jata

sham hote hi koi shama jala rakhni thi
jab dariche se hawa aati to dekha jata

raushni apne gharondon mein chhupi thi warna
shahr ke shahr pe shab-khun na mara jata

itne aansu meri aankhon mein kahan the 'qaisar'
umr bhar dal ke janaze pe jo roya jata