ghas se bach ke chalo ret ko gulzar kaho
narm kaliyon pe chadha do gham-e-dauran ke ghilaf
khud ko dil tham ke murghan-e-giraftar kaho
raat ko us ke tabassum se lipat kar so jao
subh uttho to use shahid-e-bazar kaho
zehn kya chiz hai jazbe ki haqiqat kya hai
farsh par baith ke tabligh ke ashaar kaho
isi raftar se chalta hai jahan-e-guzaran
inhi qadmon pe zamane ke qadam uthte hain
koi ainak se dikhata hai to hum dekhte hain
koi kandhon pe uthata hai to hum uthte hain
ek raqqasa-e-tannaz ki mahfil hai jahan
kabhi aate hain bhatije kabhi am uthte hain
kabhi ek gosha-e-tarik ke virane mein
kisi jugnu ke chamakne pe fughan hoti hai
kabhi is marhamat-e-khas ka andaza nahin
kabhi do bund chhalakne pe fughan hoti hai
kabhi manzil ke tasawwur se jigar jalte hain
kabhi sahra mein bhatakne pe fughan hoti hai
hum ne is chor ko sinon mein daba rakkha hai
hum isi chor ke khatre se pareshan bhi hain
kaun samjhega ki is sath-e-khush-awaz ke baad
usi thahre hue talab mein tufan bhi hain
bhai ki aankh ke kante pe nazar hai sab ki
dewta bhi hain isi bazm mein insan bhi hain
khatt-e-sartan se aati hai millar ki aawaz
aur america ke bazar mein kho jati hai
jais ki fikr ne tamir kya hai jis ko
wo zamin hasrat-e-meamar mein kho jati hai
kabhi manto ka qalam ban ke dahakti hai hayat
kabhi sarmae ki talwar mein kho jati hai
har payambar pe hansa hai ye zamana lekin
har payambar ne jhukai hai zamane ki jabin
apne ham-asr se khaif na ho ai waqt ki aanch
is ki mitti mein sitaron ka dhuan hai ki nahin
isi mitti se damakti hai ye dharti warna
durd-e-yak-saghar-e-ghaflat hai che duniya o che-din
jism ke dagh chhupana to koi baat nahin
ruh ke zakhm sulagte hain pas-e-parda-e-dil
sar chhupa lete ho tum ret mein jis ke aage
isi tufan mein ghir jate hain lakhon sahil
ek rahi jise ehsas na hasrat na talab
ek safar jis mein na manzil na suragh-e-manzil
apni hassas subuk nak se rumal hatao
khad mein mahz taffun hi nahin khez bhi hai
zauq darkar hai qatre ko guhar karne mein
ye mai-e-nab pur-asrar bhi hai tez bhi hai
kuchh to hai wajh-e-dil-azari-o-ahang-o-satez
warna ye tab-e-khush-akhlaq-o-kam-amez bhi hai
shahr ki tira-o-tarik guzargahon mein
dastan hogi to manto ka qalam likkhega
zist qanun o faramin-e-qafas ke aage
be-zaban hogi to manto ka qalam likkhega
is shifa-khana-e-akhlaq mein nashtar ke qarib
rag-e-jaan hogi to manto ka qalam likkhega
gopi-nath aur zafar-shah ke jaise kirdar
kitni gumnami mein ji lete hain mar jate hain
kis ne un aankhon mein wo khwab lahakte dekhe
jo is insanon ke jangal mein bikhar jate hain
kis ka aaina hai mozel ki us ruh ka aks
jis mein maryam ke hasin naqsh nikhar jate hain
ai nae asr ki rag rag ko samajhne wale
fahm-o-idrak badi hain to badi teri hai
chand lamhon ki khudai hai riwayat ke sath
fan ke aadarsh ki ruh-e-abadi teri hai
maut ye sirf saadat ki hai manto ki nahin
ye shab-o-roz tere hain ye sadi teri hai