wo ek shakhs ki jo sath sath phirta tha
nazar jo badli to phir wo nazar nahin aaya

phira kiye hain chahl sal dasht-e-wahshat mein
kisi ko yaad tera rahguzar nahin aaya

bahut jataya kisi ne ki sath sath tha wo
hamein to yaad koi ham-safar nahin aaya

kaha tha sham se pahle hi laut aaega
hamein khayal raha raat bhar nahin aaya

thake hue the bahut baith jate sae mein
hamari rah mein koi shajar nahin aaya

ye rah-e-koh-e-nida hai qadam na apne badha
wahan se laut ke koi bashar nahin aaya

bahut hudud-e-zaman-o-makan se dur gae
hamein to ras kabhi bhi safar nahin aaya

nahin ki yaad pata us ko mere ghar ka na tha
tamam shahr mein ghuma idhar nahin aaya

misal-e-saya tha wo phir bhi dur dur raha
hazar sal hue laut kar nahin aaya

raha raqib se hujjat mein 'qadri' masruf
magar wo le ke tumhaari khabar nahin aaya