yun to har shair ki fitrat mein hai kuchh diwangi
ghair zimmedariyan hain us ki juzw-e-zindagi

arz-e-sheristan mein ye shairana khasiyat
cancer ki tarah se jab phailne badhne lagi

mukhtalif school jab jangi akhade ban gae
fikr-o-fan mein jab niraji kaifiyat paida hui

mumlikat mein zabta koi na jab baqi raha
har jagah qanun ki hone lagi be-hurmati

ek ek tuk-band ustadon ke munh aane laga
likh ke subh-o-sham nazmen be-tuki se be-tuki

kude-karkat ki tarah har su nazar aane lagen
dheriyan hi dheriyan diwan-e-khas-o-am ki

had to ye hai ahl-e-machhli-shahr bhi karne lage
mahi-giri chhod kar din raat fikr-e-shairi

jin se bohran-e-ghiza state mein paida hua
qaht-e-mahi se badhi har chaar jaanib bhuk-mari

chand qaumi dard rakhne wale ahlurrae se
qaum ki na-gufta-ba-haalat na jab dekhi gai

ek dastur-ul-amal tayyar karne ke liye
ek kameti 'amn'-sahab ki sadarat mein bani

taki is par chal ke nazm-o-zabt aae qaum mein
taki kuchh to moatadil ho shairon ki zindagi

dusre kaamon mein bhi qaumi energy sarf ho
tuk faroshi ke alawa bhi to maqsad ho koi

daur-e-'aflatun'-o-'tulsi-das' se 'iqbaal' tak
history kal shairon ki is kameti ne padhi

dusre mulkon ke aain-o-zawabit mein jahan
jo munasib baat thi wo chhant kar rakh li gai

raat din ki sakht mehnat aur jaan-sozi ke baad
is kameti ne report apni bil-akhir pesh ki

khaka-e-dastur-e-qaumi yani wo sheri report
'amn'-sahab ne raqam ki thi ba-sinf-e-masnawi

is pe rae-amma malum karne ke liye
shairon ko naql dastawez ki bheji gai

mukhtalif ahl-e-sukhan ne apne apne taur par
rae di dastur mein tarmim ya tansikh ki

masnawi mein khamiyan dhunden zaban ki ja-ba-ja
ek shair ne jo the shagird-e-nuh-narwi

saikdon misre badal kar rakh diye kuchh is tarah
nafs-e-mazmun nazr ho kar rah gaya islah ki

un ka kahna tha ki bandish chust honi chahiye
sher ke andar bala se ho na fikri tazgi

nat-go hazraat ka kahna tha shair ke liye
shart awwal hai ki ho jae wo kattar mazhabi

aaqibat ki baat soche aur munajaten likhe
us ke jan mein kar-amad shairi hai bas wahi

aise shair jo ki hami the taraqqi-wad ke
in ka kahna tha ki shair ka sukhan ho maqsadi

yani pahle se muqarrar-karda mauzuat par
mumlikat mein aam ki jae shuuri shairi

khwah sheristan mein is ka na ho koi wajud
laziman dikhlai jae kashmakash tabqat ki

ek qabila jo mukhalif tha shuuri fikr ka
tha taraqqi-wadiyon se jis ko bughz-e-lillahi

is qabile ka ye kahna tha ki shair ka kalam
laziman ho ek muamma qaid-e-mani se bari

jis ko shair khud na samjhe nazm kar lene ke baad
jis ko padh kar gum ho aql-e-maulwi-e-manawi

dekh kar dastur mein nazm-o-nasq ka tazkira
sakht barham ho gae kul shairan-e-naksali

in ka nukta tha ki shair fitratan aazad hai
us pe lag sakti nahin pabandiyan tanzim ki

zindagi mein zabta lane ke bilkul the khilaf
sath naksal-wadiyon ke dusre hazraat bhi

mukhtasar ye hai ki sab ne rad kiya dastur ko
sari mehnat 'amn'-sahab ki akarat ho gai

dekh kar na-aqibat andeshi-e-ahl-e-sukhan
is tarah goya hui un ki mohazzab khamushi

meindakon ko taulna aasan nahin hai jis tarah
shairon ko bhi munazzam karna mushkil hai yunhi