tumhein ye wahm ishaara tumari zat se tha
ghalat na samjho mukhatib main kaenat se tha

mujhe ye ranj sawad-e-mushahidat se tha
jawaz-e-jaan bhi yahan marg-e-khwahishat se tha

na ab wo jahl na danishwari ki baaten hain
ki husn-e-falsafa husn-e-tanaze’at se tha

fasad-e-shahr na tha be-sabab ki rabt us ka
ma’ashiyat se tha ya siyasiyat se tha

sahar ko baad-e-saba ne mujhe bikher diya
main apni khak sanbhaale hue to raat se tha

bacha hawa se to dhupon ki zad mein aa ke gira
wo barg-e-sabz jo mausam ki baqiyat se tha

ta'ayyushat mein samjha gaya use nahaq
ta'alluq us ka hamari zaruriyat se tha

har ek shakhs ko thi khwahish-e-gazand wahan
ki us ka dar bhi jaise tabarrukat se tha

wo mar gaya to khuda ho gaya hazaron ka
wo shakhs apne hi jaisa tha jab hayat se tha

'rauf' khair ta'alluq shuru' se apna
jamaliyat se tha husn-e-she'riyat se tha