aasman baadal ka pahne khirqa-e-derina hai
kuchh mukaddar sa jabin-e-mah ka aaina hai

chandni phiki hai is nazzara-e-khamosh mein
subh-e-sadiq so rahi hai raat ki aaghosh mein

kis qadar ashjar ki hairat-faza hai khamushi
barbat-e-qudrat ki dhimi si nawa hai khamushi

baatin-e-har-zarra-e-alim sarapa dard hai
aur khamoshi lab-e-hasti pe aah-e-sard hai

aah jaulan-gah-e-alam-gir yani wo hisar
dosh par apne uthae saikdon sadiyon ka bar

zindagi se tha kabhi mamur ab sunsan hai
ye khamoshi us ke hangamon ka goristan hai

apne sukkan-e-kuhan ki khak ka dil-dada hai
koh ke sar par misal-e-pasban istada hai

abr ke rauzan se wo baala-e-baam-e-asman
nazir-e-alam hai najm-e-sabz-fam-e-asman

khak-bazi wusat-e-duniya ka hai manzar use
dastan nakaami-e-insan ki hai azbar use

hai azal se ye musafir su-e-manzil ja raha
aasman se inqilabon ka tamasha dekhta

go sukun mumkin nahin aalam mein akhtar ke liye
fatiha-khwani ko ye thahra hai dam bhar ke liye

rang-o-ab-e-zinagi se gul-ba-daman hai zamin
saikdon khun-gashta tahzibon ka madfan hai zamin

khwab-gah shahon ki hai ye manzil-e-hasrat-faza
dida-e-ibrat khiraj-e-ashk-e-gul-gun kar ada

hai to goristan magar ye khak-e-gardun-paya hai
aah ek bargashta qismat qaum ka sarmaya hai

maqbaron ki shan hairat-afrin hai is qadar
jumbish-e-mizhgan se hai chashm-e-tamasha ko hazar

kaifiyat aisi hai nakaami ki is taswir mein
jo utar sakti nahin aaina-e-tahrir mein

sote hain khamosh aabaadi ke hangamon se dur
muztarib rakhti thi jin ko aarzu-e-na-subur

qabr ki zulmat mein hai in aaftabon ki chamak
jin ke darwazon pe rahta hai jabin-gustar falak

kya yahi hai in shahanshahon ki azmat ka maal
jin ki tadbir-e-jahanbani se darta tha zawal

rob-e-faghfuri ho duniya mein ki shan-e-qaisari
tal nahin sakti ghanim-e-maut ki yurish kabhi

baadshahon ki bhi kisht-e-umr ka hasil hai gor
jada-e-azmat ki goya aakhiri manzil hai gor

shorish-e-bazm-e-tarab kya ud ki taqrir kya
dardmandan-e-jahan ka nala-e-shab-gir kya

arsa-e-paikar mein hangama-e-shamshir kya
khun ko garmane wala nara-e-takbir kya

ab koi aawaz soton ko jaga sakti nahin
sina-e-viran mein jaan-e-rafta aa sakti nahin

ruh-e-musht-e-khak mein zahmat-kash-e-bedad hai
kucha gard-e-nai hua jis dam nafas fariyaad hai

zindagi insan ki hai manind-e-murgh-e-khush-nawa
shakh par baitha koi dam chahchahaya ud gaya

aah kya aae riyaz-e-dahr mein hum kya gae
zindagi ki shakh se phute khile murjha gae

maut har shah o gada ke khwab ki tabir hai
is sitamgar ka sitam insaf ki taswir hai

silsila hasti ka hai ek bahr-e-na-paida-kanar
aur is dariya-e-be-payan ki maujen hain mazar

ai hawas khun ro ki hai ye zindagi be-e'tibar
ye sharare ka tabassum ye khas-e-atish-sawar

chand jo surat-gar-e-hasti ka ek ejaz hai
pahne simabi qaba mahw-e-khiram-e-naz hai

charkh-e-be-anjum ki dahshatnak wusat mein magar
bekasi is ki koi dekhe zara waqt-e-sahar

ek zara sa abr ka tukda hai jo mahtab tha
aakhiri aansu tapak jaane mein ho jis ki fana

zindagi aqwam ki bhi hai yunhi be-e'tibar
rang-ha-e-rafta ki taswir hai un ki bahaar

is ziyan-khane mein koi millat-e-gardun-waqar
rah nahin sakti abad tak bar-e-dosh-e-rozgar

is qadar qaumon ki barbaadi se hai khugar jahan
dekhta be-e'tinai se hai ye manzar jahan

ek surat par nahin rahta kisi shai ko qarar
zauq-e-jiddat se hai tarkib-e-mizaj-e-rozgar

hai nagin-e-dahr ki zinat hamesha nam-e-nau
madar-e-giti rahi aabastan-e-aqwam-e-nau

hai hazaron qafilon se aashna ye rahguzar
chashm-e-koh-e-nur ne dekhe hain kitne tajwar

misr o babul mit gae baqi nishan tak bhi nahin
daftar-e-hasti mein un ki dastan tak bhi nahin

aa dabaya mehr-e-iran ko ajal ki sham ne
azmat-e-yunan-o-ruma lut li ayyam ne

aah muslim bhi zamane se yunhi rukhsat hua
aasman se abr-e-azari utha barsa gaya

hai rag-e-gul subh ke ashkon se moti ki ladi
koi suraj ki kiran shabnam mein hai uljhi hui

sina-e-dariya shuaon ke liye gahwara hai
kis qadar pyara lab-e-ju mehr ka nazzara hai

mahw-e-zinat hai sanobar juebar-e-aina hai
ghuncha-e-gul ke liye baad-e-bahaar-e-aina hai

nara-zan rahti hai koyal bagh ke kashane mein
chashm-e-insan se nihan patton ke uzlat-khane mein

aur bulbul mutrib-e-rangin nawa-e-gulsitan
jis ke dam se zinda hai goya hawa-e-gulsitan

ishq ke hangamon ki udti hui taswir hai
khama-e-qudrat ki kaisi shokh ye tahrir hai

bagh mein khamosh jalse gulsitan-zadon ke hain
wadi-e-kohsar mein nare shaban-zadon ke hain

zindagi se ye purana khak-dan mamur hai
maut mein bhi zindagani ki tadap mastur hai

pattiyan phulon ki girti hain khizan mein is tarah
dast-e-tifl-e-khufta se rangin khilaune jis tarah

is nashat-abaad mein go aish be-andaza hai
ek gham yani gham-e-millat hamesha taza hai

dil hamare yaad-e-ahd-e-rafta se khali nahin
apne shahon ko ye ummat bhulne wali nahin

ashk-bari ke bahane hain ye ujde baam o dar
girya-e-paiham se bina hai hamari chashm-e-tar

dahr ko dete hain moti dida-e-giryan ke hum
aakhiri baadal hain ek guzre hue tufan ke hum

hain abhi sad-ha guhar is abr ki aaghosh mein
barq abhi baqi hai is ke sina-e-khamosh mein

wadi-e-gul khak-e-sahra ko bana sakta hai ye
khwab se ummid-e-dahqan ko jaga sakta hai ye

ho chuka go qaum ki shan-e-jalali ka zuhur
hai magar baqi abhi shan-e-jamali ka zuhur