zindagi bhar hum jise kahte rahe hain zindagi
hai faqat taswir-e-hasrat sar-basar tishna-labi

chahaton ke shokh naghmon se musalsal khelti
aas ki masti faza mein dur tak lahra gai

phir udasi sham ki kuchh aur gahri ho gai
phir kisi ghaeb-shuda manzar ki hai jadugari

manzilon ki ek shagufta manzari ko napti
sanwli si ek thakan hai manzilon ke pas hi

yun musalsal mauj mein hai ek tufan-e-nafi
mutmain hai zakhm-e-dil se zakhm-e-dil ki tazgi

yaad teri kuchh dabe panw hi shayad aa gai
dastaken hain ab dar-e-dil par bahut khamosh si

munakis hai shokh nuqton par mizaj-e-shaeri
ek sanjida tanawwo lahja lahja pukhtagi

lamha lamha kuchh nai be-tabiyon se aashna
nit-nae tewar badalti hai faza bhar aagahi

in labon par saj gai harf-e-ijazat ki tarah
ek ghalat andaz lahje ki hasin aawargi

gungunate hain sitare jhilmilati loriyan
waqt ko shayad faza ki god mein nind aa gai

bebasi kuchh is tarah likkhi hai chehre par mere
aankta hai har bashar yaksar meri bechaargi

ab sameto dastanon ka bikharta silsila
hai nawa-e-nim-shab ki sadhna khamoshi si