zindagi kya hue wo apne zamane wale
yaad aate hain bahut dil ko dukhane wale

raste chup hain nasim-e-sahari bhi chup hai
jaane kis samt gae thokaren khane wale

ajnabi ban ke na mil umr-e-gurezan hum se
the kabhi hum bhi tere naz uthane wale

aa ki main dekh lun khoya hua chehra apna
mujh se chhup kar meri taswir banane wale

hum to ek din na jiye apni khushi se ai dil
aur honge tere ehsan uthane wale

dil se uthte hue shoalon ko kahan le jaen
apne har zakhm ko pahlu mein chhupane wale

nikhat-e-subh-e-chaman bhul na jaana ki tujhe
the hamin nind se har roz jagane wale

hans ke ab dekhte hain chaak-e-gareban mera
apne aansu mere daman mein chhupane wale

kis se puchhun ye siyah raat kategi kis din
so gae ja ke kahan khwab dikhane wale

har qadam dur hui jati hai manzil hum se
rah-e-gum-karda hain khud rah dikhane wale

ab jo rote hain mere haal-e-zabun par 'akhtar'
kal yahi the mujhe hans hans ke rulane wale