main ne khwabon ke saman-rang shabistanon mein
loriyan de ke gham-e-dil ko sulana chaha

talkhi-e-zist se be-zar-o-pareshan ho kar
talkhi-e-zist ka ehsas mitana chaha

aur main darte jhijakte kisi mujrim ki tarah
aa gaya teri mohabbat ke paristanon mein

chhod kar apne taaqub mein nigahen apni
kho gaya kakul-o-rukhsar ke afsanon mein

main ne socha tha tere jism ki ranai se
sang-dil zehn ki taqdir badal jaegi

zindagi waqt ke sahra ki alamnak sumum
tere anfas ki mahkar mein dhal jaegi

aah ek lamha bhi lekin mere sine ki tadap
tere gate hue mahaul ko apna na saki

teri zulfon ke ghane aur khunuk sae mein
mere jalte hue idrak ko nind aa na saki

teri hansti hui labrez chhalakti aankhen
meri aankhon mein kabhi rang-e-tarab bhar na sakin

tere daman ki hawaen thin junun-khez magar
mere ehsas ki qindil ko gul kar na sakin

main ne socha tha magar kitna ghalat socha tha
zindagi ek haqiqat thi fasana to na thi

meri duniya mere khwabon ki sunahri duniya
nauha-e-gham thi masarrat ka tarana to na thi

ab ye samjha hun ki is dard bhari duniya mein
mere aaghaz ka anjam yahi hona tha

khwab phir khwab the khwabon ka bharosa kya tha
hasil-e-kahish-e-nakaam yahi hona tha

zehn par lakh fusun-kar takhayyul hon muhit
lakh pardon mein nigahon ko chhupaya jae

talkhi-e-zist ka ehsas nahin mit sakta
talkhi-e-zist ko jab tak na mitaya jae