na jaane wo log gum kahan hain
chhalak rahi thi

falak ke saghar se rahmat-e-haq ki tund sahba
faza-e-ayyam mein mohabbat ki fakhtaen bhi

pankh phailae ud rahi thin
dayar-e-jarman mein jhankti thin

ummid-e-farda ki narm kirnen
magar ye aashob-e-waqt ka hai asar ki jis se

jhulas gae hain tasawwuron ke hasin chehre
faza bhi khamosh ruh betab

dur mandir ke dewta chup
dhadakte dil ki ye sansanahat

khisakte patton ki sarsarahat
pade hain khamosh khokhle mandiron ke naqus

bujhe pade hain tamaddunon ke hasin fanus
yahan ajanta ka aur konark ka

fann-e-takhliq hichkiyan le raha hai paiham
yahan to ab saumon mein aur masjidon mein

ghar kar chuke hain takhrib ke ababil
nafas nafas mein ghutan ka jazba

ragon mein talkhi hai zahr-e-gham ki
bhatakte rahne ko ab khala ke siwa nahin kuchh

gae the jo log us taraf se
unhin ka hai intizar hum ko

wo aaenge kab wo aaenge kab
yahan ahinsa ko ghun laga hai

yahan mohabbat ki wadiyon mein ugi hai kai
payam-e-insaniyat ko goya lagi hai dimak

wo dard-e-dil ki lawen
jo misl-e-charagh jalti rahi thin sadiyon

na jaane kyun aaj bujh chuki hain
nazar ko dhundla rahi hai kyun dur ki siyahi

gae the kuchh log jo udhar se
unhin ka hai intizar hum ko

falak ke la-intiha abhi main
na jaane wo log gum kahan hain