tere dar se guzra tha barha
wo khula nahin

wahan dar pe pahra laga tha gardish-e-haal ka
main tere tilism mein band tha

mujhe tha kisi se na apne aap se wasta
faqat ek nauha be-aman tha sukut mein

wo sukut jis mein bhanwar sadaon ke be-shumar
wahi gunjte the wajud mein

koi chashm-e-shauq ko waqiye
sar-e-rah ab bhi mila nahin

to gila nahin
ki main apni zat ki anjuman mein har ek se mahw-e-kalam hun

mere haal ki na use khabar na use khabar
ki ye log

sada gharib mukhlis-o-chaara-saz
yahi log hirs mein mubtala jo nikalen kaam fareb se

na ho un sa koi zamana-saz
kabhi un mein zahr ana ka hai kabhi wahm ka kabhi jahl ka

kabhi sanp andhi aqidaton ke lipat gae
hama-waqt rahti hai sim-o-zar ki talab unhen

ki ye khwajgan-e-waram se rakhte hain saz-baz
jinhen bandagan-e-waram kahen to baja kahen

ki wo khwaja kya hain waram ki karte hain bandagi
unhen mujh se milne ka shauq kya

ye wo log hain jo na apne-ap se mil sake
ye unhin ke bare mein tha jo khula sahifa-e-hast-o-bud

ye badalte chehron ke log
jin ka na apna chehra na khal-o-khat

usi karwan mein sharik hain jo ummid-e-wahm ki rah mein
kai sad-hazar baras se hai

kai bar ubhre hain gard se
kai bar dhuan mein at gae

wo jo khwab the
kai sad-hazar baras ke khwab

jo yaqin na the jo guman na the
wo jo un ke apne nigah-o-dil pe ayan na the

ki ayan hue to bikhar gae
magar un ka apna wajud the lahu ban ke un ki ragon mein paiham rawan bhi the

tera dar to ab bhi khula nahin
magar ek ummid ka dar khula

kai sad-hazar baras ka arsa-e-intizar guzar gaya
wo jo khwab the wo jo khwab hain

wahi khwab dil mein utar pade
naya rang hai shab-o-roz ka

nai tabish-e-mah-o-sal hai
hote sab ke khwab jo mere khwab

ajab us mein lutf-e-visal hai