yaron ke ikhlas se pahle dil ka mere ye haal na tha
ab wo chaknachur pada hai jis shishe mein baal na tha

insan aa kar nai dagar par kho baitha hai hosh-o-hawas
pahle bhi behosh tha lekin aisa bhi bad-haal na tha

gulshan gulshan virani hai jangal jangal sannata
hae wo din jab har manzil mein shorish-e-gham ka kal na tha

kyun re diwane shahr yahi hai ek ek pal bhaari hai jahan
apne virane mein ai dil ji ka ye janjal na tha

hum jo lute us shahr mein ja kar dukh logon ko kyun pahuncha
apni nazar thi apna dil tha koi paraya mal na tha

teri khak pe raushan raushan 'akhtar' jaise sitare the
tujh sa ai mahran ki wadi koi buland-iqbaal na tha