alassabah ki duniya thi mahw-e-khwab abhi
chhupa tha hujra-e-mashriq mein aaftab abhi

falak pe anjuman-e-shab ka tha asar baqi
ghira hua tha sitaron mein mahtab abhi

fazaen gum thin dhundalke mein aakhir-e-shab ke
uruh-e-subh ke chehre pe thi naqab abhi

liya na tha abhi suraj ne bosa-e-ariz
salone rang mein nikhra na tha shabab abhi

na aai thi abhi surkhi ufuq ke chehre par
shafaq ne charkh pe chhidki na thi sharab abhi

ghunudgi mein fazaen thin sar jhukae hue
main ja raha tha sadak par qadam badhae hue

magar tha pesh-e-nazar ek muraqqa-e-adbar
dil-e-gharib ki surat udas tha bazar

ba-juz sada-e-nafas ke kahin na thi aawaz
ba-juz hawa-e-sahar ke koi na tha bedar

wo kothiyan wo tarab-khana-ha-e-daulat-o-aish
jahan the aakhir-e-shab tak hayat ke aasar

wahan bhi maut ke baithe hue the pahre-dar
na shama thi na patange na bazm thi na bahaar

gadagaron ke kai qafile ba-haal-e-tabah
pade hue the sar-e-rah nind mein sarshaar

yakayak ek taraf uth gai jo meri nazar
ajab tarah ka nazar aaya samne manzar

gali ke mod par ek aadmi pareshan-haal
ki jis ki sham-e-jawani thi sogwar-e-zawal

jhuki jhuki hui nazren rundha rundha hua dil
dhansi dhansi hui aankhen sate sate hue gal

barahna jism khamida kamar ramida hawas
badan nidhaal tabiat nidhaal ruh nidhaal

zaban-e-laghzish-e-pa par fasana-e-shab-o-roz
sutur-e-chin-e-jabin mein hadis-e-mazi-o-haal

samajh gaya main use dekhte hi haal us ka
ki us ki shakl ba-yak-waqt thi jawab-o-sawal

bisat-e-kak pe baitha hua tha khak-basar
padi thi samne kude pe kuchh sadi hui dal

sag-e-gursna ki manind chatta tha use
bura tha bhuk se kuchh is qadar gharib ka haal

main us muhib nazare ki tab la na saka
qadam jame ke jame rah gae utha na saka