zist kya chiz hai aur zist ka gham kya shai hai
tere bandon ke liye dair-o-haram kya shai hai

tu ne ab tak jo kiya us ko karam hi samjha
hum ne jaana hi nahin tera sitam kya shai hai

jo guzarta hai wo rakh deta hai us ja pe jabin
kya bataun ki tera naqsh-e-qadam kya shai hai

hum ne tai kar li hai taslim-o-raza ki manzil
hum ko malum nahin dard-o-alam kya shai hai

rind to rind hain ho jate hain zahid bhi asir
mushaf-e-rukh pe siyah-zulf ka kham kya shai hai

teri aankhon mein do-alam ki khabar padhte hain
aise rindon ke liye saghar-e-jam kiya shai hai

main to kamtar hun har ek zarra-e-khaki se 'kalim'
mujh se is wusat-e-afaq mein kam kya shai hai