zaban jab dil jalati hai main us se khar khata hun
wo aksar jit jati hai main aksar haar jata hun

agar chahun gul-o-bulbul ke jazbe khinch kar rakh dun
magar apni kamai ka gada sach hi dikhata hun

zaban ki mar khai hai jo main ne yaro madar ki
shikasta ho ki in tukdon ko ab tum par lutata hun

adibon ne mujhe jhada to phenka go hun wo kida
ki un ki kul kitabon ko main yun hi chat khata hun

salakhen aur zanjiren hain kya beja mazalim kya
zaban ki do salakhon mein main khud ko qaid pata hun

koi dimak lagi lakdi si kuchh yaaden sambhaali thin
wo mera tan galati thin so khud un ko galata hun

agar meri tashaffi ko do baaten yar ki kar do
zaban ki hi inayat hai ki khud ko bhul jata hun

mere sukhe samundar ne jo kuchh naqshe se khinche the
jinhen lahren mitati thin kabhi ab main mitata hun

meri hassas tabiat ko to kya samjhenge main khud ko
kabhi ashkon se munh dho kar kabhi hans ke chhupata hun

jo kuda-dan ko shayan hai wo meri adibi hai
ye panni chad-chdati hai main jab shama badhata hun

kabhi samjha tha shair hun gada likhta tha main khud ko
jo majnun ban phira ban mein wo ban se laut aata hun