shaeri ka garm sare mulk mein bazar hai
jis ko dekho wo qalam kaghaz liye tayar hai

tez bekari ki jitni aaj kal raftar hai
bas usi darja fuzun ghazlon ki paida-war hai

har gali kuche mein hai sheri nashishton ki dukan
zehan ko bimar rakhne ka ye karobar hai

mubtadi ustad tak band o atai jo bhi hai
sher-sazi ke junun mein mast hai sarshaar hai

ek pyali chae rakh kar doston ke darmiyan
be-tuki bahsen hain ghanton be-sabab takrar hai

jo bhi shaer hai use dekho to hafton qabl se
bas radif o qafiya se bar-sar-e-paikar hai

qafiye jitne lughat mein mil sake sab chun liye
in ko misron mein khapaya aur ghazal tayar hai

maulwi haali hun ya mister kalimuddin hun
un ki nazron mein ghazal be-rabta-e-afkar hai

phir bhi an-padh log hon ya hon adab ke doctor
jaane kyun us shokh chanchal se sabhi ko pyar hai

daur-e-nau ka ho sukhan-war ya purani nasl ka
jis ko dekho mahfilon mein bas us ka yar hai

ek ada-e-khas se akde hue baithenge sab
jo bhi shaer hai ba-zom-e-khud bada fankar hai

sher sunne se ziyaada khud sunane ke liye
nafkh ki haalat mein hain betabi-e-izhaar hai

bans par chadhna utarna jis tarah ka kaam hai
ye ghazal-paimai bhi waisa hi shaghl 'asrar' hai