sitare jitne bhi aasman par
meri tamanna ke zau-fishan the

zamin ke andar utar gae hain
jo log raaton ko jagte the wo mar gae hain

wo phul wo titliyan ki jin se
bahaar ki dilkashi siwa thi

wo rizq-e-khashak ban chuke the
tamam manzar tamam chehre jo dhire dhire sulag rahe the

so ab wo sab rakh ban chuke hain
main raftagan ki udas yaadon ke sae mein din guzarta hun

agarche khwabon ka pairahan tar tar sa hai
pa main use kab utarta hun

meri sada ka jawab ab koi bhi na dega
ye jaanta hun magar musalsal kisi ko ab tak pukarta hun

ajib ye khel hai ki jis ko na jitta hun na haarta hun
meri kahani mein koi shai bhi nai nahin hai

ye nanhe munne hasin khwabon se hai ibarat
meri kahani mein narm din khush-gawar shamon

udas raaton ki ek rau hai
wajud mera kisi diye ki haqir lau hai

main yun to kahne ko aql o mantiq ke daur ka aadmi hun lekin
mera rawayya hai zindagi ko guzarne ka bahut purana

main sochta hun ki ek sadi qabl paida hota to thik rahta
ki mujh se koi bhi kuchh na kahta

jo khak ka rizq ho chuke hain
main un zamanon ka nauhagar hun

visal o hijran ki dastanon ka nauhagar hun
jinhen ye duniya hazar-ha bar sun chuki hai