abhi hum khub-surat hain
hamare jism auraq-e-khizani ho gae hain
aur rida-e-zakhm se aarasta hain
phir bhi dekho to
hamari khush-numai par koi harf
aur kashida-qamti mein kham nahin aaya
hamare hont zahrili ruton se kasni hain
aur chehre ratjagon ki shoalagi se
aabnusi ho chuke hain
aur zakhmi khwab
nadida jaziron ki zamin par
is tarah bikhre pade hain
jis tarah tufan-zada kashti ke tukdon ko
samundar sahilon par phenk deta hai
lahu ki barishen
ya khud-kushi ki khwahishen thin
is aziyyat ke safar mein
kaun sa mausam nahin aaya
magar aankhon mein nam
lahje mein sam
honton pe koi naghma-e-matam nahin aaya
abhi tak dil hamare
khanda-e-tiflan ki surat be-kudurat hain
abhi hum khub-surat hain
zamane ho gae
hum ku-e-jaanan chhod aae the
magar ab bhi
bahut se aashna na-ashna hamdam
aur un ki yaad ke manus qasid
aur un ki chahaton ke hijr-name
dur deson se hamari or aate hain
gulabi mausamon ki dhup
jab naurasta sabze par qadam rakhti hui
mamura-e-tan mein dar aati hai
tu barfani badan mein
ju-e-khun aahistagi se gungunati hai
udasi ka parinda
chup ke jangal mein
sar-e-shakh-e-nihaal-e-gham chahakta hai
koi bhula hua bisra hua dukh
aabla bin kar tapakta hai
to yun lagta hai
jaise harf apne
zinda aawazon ki surat hain
abhi hum khub-surat hain
hamari khush-numai harf-e-haq ki ru-numai hai
usi khatir to hum aashufta-jaan
ushshaq ki yaadon mein rahte hain
ki jo un par guzarti hai wo kahte hain
hamari harf-sazi
ab bhi mahbub-e-jahan hai
shaeri shorid-gan-e-ishq ke wird-e-zaban hai
aur gulabon ki tarah shadan chehre
lal o marjaan ki tarah lab
sandalin hathon se
chahat aur aqidat ki bayazon par
hamare nam likhte hain
sabhi dard-ashna
isar mashrab
ham-nafas ahl-e-qafas
jab maqtalon ki samt jate hain
hamare bait gate hain
abhi tak naz karte hain sab ahl-e-qafila
apne hudi-khwanon par aashufta-kalamon par
abhi hum dastakhat karte hain apne qatl-namon par
abhi hum aasmanon ki amanat
aur zaminon ki zarurat hain
abhi hum khub-surat hain