ek qissa-go ka qatl

din dhala
sham hui
shahr-e-na-pursan ki manhus ghadi
qissa-go qatl hua sham hui


surkh inton ki haweli ki badi dilkash thi
aaj taraj hui
ek ilzam tha gustakhi ka
aur balwai hazaron mein


wahan khun ki bu sunghte aa pahunche the
lashkari apni kamin-gahon mein mahfuz khade hanste the
gurg-e-awara ko ek luqma-e-tar dalte the
surkh inton ki haweli mein naqab lagta tha


chob-daron ko naya hukm ye tha
is qadar zor se naqqara baje
koi bhi chikh
koi aah


sama'at ke qarib aa na sake
khilqat-e-shahr ki aazurda-o-bimar-o-nahif
apni qismat pe bas afsos kiya karti thi
han kisi ko bhi ye ma'lum na tha


shahr-e-na-pursan ki aashob-zada galiyon mein
waqt ki dhul jamegi
to kai qissa-go
is kahani ko phir ek bar sunane ke liye utrenge


shahr-e-na-pursan ki manhus ghadi
qissa-go qatl hua
sham hui