ye to nahin ki hum pe sitam hi kabhi na the
itna zarur tha ki wo naguftani na the

ai chashm-e-iltifat ye kya ho gaya tujhe
teri nazar mein hum to kabhi ajnabi na the

phirte hain aaftab-zada kaenat mein
hum par kisi ki zulf ke ehsan kabhi na the

pamal kar diya jo falak ne to kya kahen
hum to kisi kamal ke bhi muddai na the

kya jurm tha ye aaj bhi hum par nahin khula
ye ilm hai ki ahl-e-junun kushtani na the

har lamha tere ishq mein umr-e-abad bana
jo din bhi zindagi ke mile aarzi na the

murjha ke bhi gai na mahak jism-e-naz ki
ye motiye ke phul koi kaghzi na the

yaran-e-shahr ishq mein be-abru hue
hum par to mehrban wo kabhi the kabhi na the

iqlim-e-ashiqi ko diya din-e-shairi
hum sahib-e-kitab the garche nabi na the

hum jin ki nazr karte jawahar kalam ke
'tahir' hamare shahar mein wo jauhari na the