wo jo ek shakhs wahan hai wo yahan kaise ho
hijr par wasl ki haalat ka guman kaise ho

be-numu khwab mein paiwast jaden hain meri
ek gamle mein koi nakhl jawan kaise ho

tum to alfaz ke nashtar se bhi mar jate the
ab jo haalat hain ai ahl-e-zaban kaise ho

aankh ke pahle kinare pe khada aakhiri ashk
ranj ke rahm-o-karam par hai rawan kaise ho

bhaw-taw mein kami beshi nahin ho sakti
han magar tujh se kharidar ko nan kaise ho

milte rahte hain mujhe aaj bhi 'ghaalib' ke khutut
wahi andaz-e-takhatub ki miyan kaise ho