kya jaane us zarif ke kya dil mein aai thi
curfew mein jis ne mahfil-e-sheri sajai thi
allah aisa zauq jahannam mein dal de
curfew mein shairon ko jo ghar se nikal de
aise mein jab ki shahr ke sab raste hon band
sadkon pe aa gae the ye ba-zauq shar-pasand
aise mein jab ki ghar se nikalna muhaal tha
lekin ye shairon ki ana ka sawal tha
sheri-mahaz khana-e-shaer se dur tha
kaba mein hajiyon ko pahunchna zarur tha
shair rawan the sher ke chaqu liye hue
dil mein khayal-e-khidmat-e-urdu liye hue
zor-e-qalam ke sath sipah-e-riyaz thi
qanun hath mein tha baghal mein bayaz thi
galiyon mein qatl-o-khun tha sadak par fasad tha
shair ba-zor-e-fikr sharik-e-jihad tha
kaisi nikal rahi thi sada gun-machine se
jaise kisi ko dad mile samain se
shair bayaz lae the sanduq ki tarah
misre ugal rahe the wo banduq ki tarah
jab firing ahl-e-sukhan ki hui tamam
ye khidmat-e-adab ka police ne sila diya
kuchh shairon ko road pe murgha bana diya
kuchh kohna-mashq bhi the sujud-o-ruku mein
jabran unhen padhaya gaya tha shurua mein
tarhi mushaere ka saman de rahe the wo
ek misra-e-tarah pe azan de rahe the wo
kuchh shairon ko naghma-sarai ki fikr thi
sadr-e-mushaira ko rihai ki fikr thi
jab shairon ke hath sharik-e-dua hue
curfew ka waqt khatm hua tab riha hue
sab apne apne ghar gae is haw-hu ke baad
shair-azim hota hai har curfew ke baad