dayar-e-sharq ki aabaadiyon ke unche tilon par
kabhi aamon ke baghon mein kabhi kheton ki meindon par

kabhi jhilon ke pani mein kabhi basti ki galiyon mein
kabhi kuchh nim uryan kam-sinon ki rang-raliyon mein

sahar-dam jhutpute ke waqt raaton ke andhere mein
kabhi melon mein natak-toliyon mein un ke dere mein

taaqub mein kabhi gum titliyon ke suni rahon mein
kabhi nanhe parindon ki nahufta khwab-gahon mein

barhana panw jalti ret yakh-basta hawaon mein
gurezan bastiyon se madrason se khanqahon mein

kabhi ham-sin hasinon mein bahut khush-kaam o dil-rafta
kabhi pechan bagula san kabhi jyun chashm-e-khun-basta

hawa mein tairta khwabon mein baadal ki tarah udta
parindon ki tarah shakhon mein chhup kar jhulta mudta

mujhe ek ladka aawara-manush aazad sailani
mujhe ek ladka jaise tund chashmon ka rawan pani

nazar aata hai yun lagta hai jaise ye bala-e-jaan
mera ham-zad hai har gam par har mod par jaulan

ise ham-rah pata hun ye sae ki tarah mera
taaqub kar raha hai jaise main mafrur mulzim hun

ye mujh se puchhta hai akhtar-ul-iman tum hi ho
khuda-e-izz-o-jal ki nematon ka mo'tarif hun main

mujhe iqrar hai us ne zamin ko aise phailaya
ki jaise bistar-e-kam-khwab ho diba-o-makhmal ho

mujhe iqrar hai ye khema-e-aflak ka saya
usi ki bakhshishen hain us ne suraj chand taron ko

fazaon mein sanwara ek had-e-fasil muqarrar ki
chatanen chir kar dariya nikale khak-e-asfal se

meri takhliq ki mujh ko jahan ki pasbani di
samundar motiyon mungon se kanen lal-o-gauhar se

hawaen mast-kun khushbuon se mamur kar di hain
wo hakim qadir-e-mutlaq hai yakta aur dana hai

andhere ko ujale se juda karta hai khud ko main
agar pahchanta hun us ki rahmat aur sakhawat hai

usi ne khusrawi di hai laimon ko mujhe nakbat
usi ne yawa-goyon ko mera khazin banaya hai

tawangar hirzah-karon ko kiya daryuza-gar mujh ko
magar jab jab kisi ke samne daman pasara hai

ye ladka puchhta hai akhtar-ul-iman tum hi ho
maishat dusron ke hath mein hai mere qabze mein

juz ek zehn-e-rasa kuchh bhi nahin phir bhi magar mujh ko
kharosh-e-umr ke itmam tak ek bar uthana hai

anasir muntashir ho jaane nabzen dub jaane tak
nawa-e-subh ho ya nala-e-shab kuchh bhi gana hai

zafar-mandon ke aage rizq ki tahsil ki khatir
kabhi apna hi naghma un ka kah kar muskurana hai

wo khama-sozi shab-bedariyon ka jo natija ho
use ek khote sikke ki tarah sab ko dikhana hai

kabhi jab sochta hun apne bare mein to kahta hun
ki tu ek aabla hai jis ko aakhir phut jaana hai

gharaz gardan hun baad-e-subh-gahi ki tarah lekin
sahar ki aarzu mein shab ka daman thamta hun jab

ye ladka puchhta hai akhtar-ul-iman tum hi ho
ye ladka puchhta hai jab to main jhalla ke kahta hun

wo aashufta-mizaj andoh-parwar iztirab-asa
jise tum puchhte rahte ho kab ka mar chuka zalim

use khud apne hathon se kafan de kar farebon ka
isi ki aarzuon ki lahad mein phenk aaya hun

main us ladke se kahta hun wo shoala mar chuka jis ne
kabhi chaha tha ek khashak-e-alam phunk dalega

ye ladka muskuraata hai ye aahista se kahta hai
ye kizb-o-iftira hai jhut hai dekho main zinda hun