agarche ye jahan-e-rang-o-bu hai
magar har su fasad-e-main-o-tu hai

main chup rah kar bahut kuchh kah gaya hun
ye khamoshi hi meri guftugu hai

tanz-o-mizah ka yun bhi karishma dikha diya
hans kar rula diya kabhi ro kar hansa diya

khamosh rah ke main ne kai bar 'khwah-makhwah'
logon ko guftugu ka saliqa sikha diya

jab bhi yaad kisi ki dil mein aati jati rahti hai
bhuli-bisri baaton ki khushbu mahkati rahti hai

jab mazi ki aawazen diwaron se takraati hain
mere ghar mein khamoshi bhi shor machati rahti hai

siyahi ka bhi rang sunahra dekha hai
sahil par bhi pani gahra dekha hai

jis par khamoshi ka pahra dekha hai
main ne us aawaz ka chehra dekha hai

kabhi hamdam kabhi hamraaz hua karti hai
kabhi monis kabhi dam-saz hua karti hai

dil ke kanon se sunoge to sunai degi
khamoshi mein bhi ek aawaz hua karti hai

ayan jo ho gaya raaz-e-nihan khamoshi ka
farefta ho sara jahan khamoshi ka

khud apne dil ka dhdakna sunai deta hai
ye faeda bhi bahut hai miyan khamoshi ka

samajh len rast goi ko jo shah-zori samajhte hain
wo kaisi bhi ho hum chori ko bas chori samajhte hain

buland aawaz mein sach bolna yun bhi zaruri hai
hamari khamoshi ko log kamzori samajhte hain

zaban yun bhi kabhi aasman hoti hai
jo munh mein rah ke bhi tir-o-kaman hoti hai

ajib tarz-e-takallum hai khamoshi ka bhi
zaban rakhte hue be-zaban hoti hai

jo shairi mein wo unchi udan rakhta hai
to guftugu mein bhi mithi zaban rakhta hai

wo 'khwah-makhwah' bahut kam-sukhan to hai lekin
khamoshiyon mein chhupi dastan rakhta hai