main ki tahzib ka ek hasin bab thi saz-e-ulfat ke taron ka mizrab thi tirgi mein bhi ham-rang-e-mahtab thi aarzuon ka ek marmarin khwab thi mera daman gulabon ki mahkar tha meri aaghosh mein pyar hi pyar tha muskuraati thin yun dhan ki baaliyan jaise dehat ki kam-sukhan ladkiyan wo kisanon ki ulfat-bhari galiyan lok giton mein hain jin ki parchhaiyan jin ki tahzib meri rawani mein hai jin ki zinda-dili mere pani mein hai main hamesha sukun ki payami rahi mere pani mein ek khush-khirami rahi mere naghmat ki dhun awami rahi meri qismat mein lekin ghulami rahi aakhirash mujh ko sailab ne das liya narm banhon ko tufan ne kas liya meri nazuk kalai ke kangan lute mere daman ke shadab gulshan lute yani faslon ke bharpur joban lute jhonpade hi nahin balki aangan lute maen bachchon se apne juda ho gain bahte pani mein kya jaane kya ho gain kashtiyon ki tarah ganw bahte rahe aur qudrat ka har war sahte rahe abr-o-baran ke sae mein rahte rahe bewafa meri maujon ko kahte rahe khet khaliyan hal jhonpade chhut gae aur jiyale kisanon ke dam ghut gae na-khudaon ko lekin khabar tak na thi rahnumaon ko lekin khabar tak na thi surmaon ko lekin khabar tak na thi kaj-adaon ko lekin khabar tak na thi yak-ba-yak lakhnau shahr bahne laga goya pani mein kul dahr bahne laga ek zara shahrahen nihan ho gain ganj ki raunaqen be-nishan ho gain muddaton ke liye nauha-khwan ho gain tab-e-nazuk pe bar-e-garan ho gain shor uttha ki tahzib khatre mein hai aadamiyyat musibat ke narghe mein hai phir to lakhon yahan kashtiyan aa gain le ke imdad mein rotiyan aa gain fauj walon ki kul bastiyan aa gain aur gharibon ne puchha kahan aa gain ganw walon ki auqat hi aur thi rajdhani ki kuchh baat hi aur thi