yaad aai hai teri sakht maqam aaya hai
dil ke sahra mein ye waqt-e-sar-e-sham aaya hai

ek nae rang mein aaj un ka payam aaya hai
aarzuon ke liye nam-ba-nam aaya hai

jaan-ba-lab shauq ke sajde bhi tadap uthe hain
un ke andaz-e-taghaful ko salam aaya hai

mere gham-khana ke andoh khamoshi ka harif
kaisi begana mizaji ka kalam aaya hai

hil rahi hai mere zindan-e-junun ki diwar
phir tasawwur mein tera jalwa-e-baam aaya hai

anjuman-saz hai ye raaz-e-mohabbat ai dost
zikr jab aaya tera bar-sar-e-am aaya hai

dil-e-betab ki hasrat ne bikhere sajde
majlis-e-ghair mein bhi tera jo nam aaya hai

chashm-e-saqi mein jhalakti hai meri laghzish-e-shauq
kanpte hath se lab tak abhi jam aaya hai

aql ko josh-e-junun dar-o-rasan tak laya
aql walon ke kabhi hosh bhi kaam aaya hai

teri sarkar mein 'akhtar' ki duaen giryan
dil ka kashkol liye tera ghulam aaya hai