sham ka pahla tara
dil ke ufuq par jis ki jot se

qaus-e-quzah se utri thi
aur is quzah ne

sari dil ki duniya chamkai thi
zist ka pahla sawan tha wo

jis se jiwan-sagar mein
ek lahar uthi thi

aur is lahar ne sari hasti
jal-thal ki thi

bagh ki pahli titli thi wo
man-angan ke sune-pan mein

jis ki ek parchhain padi thi
aur jis parchhain ko chhune ki

khwahish mein
dasht-e-tamanna mein ja nikle the hum

dasht-e-tamanna jis mein har-su
gahra sannata tha

sannata bhi aisa jis ko koh-e-nida se
har lamha aawaz aati thi

jaane walo! yaad rahe is rah nikalne wale
laut ke aa nahin sakte

lekin jin ko rangon ki mahkar bulae
wo roke se ruk nahin sakte

jin ke jazbe sachche hon
wo aag pe kab chalne se darte hain

hum bhi apna man liye
rahon mein ghulti jaan liye

chalte aae, bas chalte aae
chand ki pahli raat thi wo jab

hum ko ye ehsas hua tha
hum to jiwan haar chuke hain

aur bahaar ka wo ek lamha
jis ko hum apna samjhe the

sine mein ab kabhi na bujhne wali
aag utar ke

rukhsat mang raha tha
aur wo khushbu jis ko pa kar

hum ne ye socha tha ki hum ko
jiwan ab tajne bhi dukh de

waqt hamare sine mein ab
chahe jitne zakhm utare

hum pe zamana jitne chahe
war kare ab

sab hans kar sah jaenge hum
bhed muqaddar ke kya kahiye

kab wo kisi par khul sakte hain
honi to ho kar rahti hai

kab wo bhala tal sakti hai
khair jo hona tha so hua wo

ab to sab kuchh bit gaya hai
lekin phir bhi hone ka dukh

kam to nahin hai
aur is dukh ka bojh uthae

dard bhara ye jiwan apna
un rahon ki samt rawan hai

ant mein jin ke aa jata hai
aakhiri mod na hone ka

pahla tara pahla sa din
pahli titli aur wo pahli chand ki raat

sab kuchh pal mein bit gaya hai
aur ab aakhiri mod se pahle

bite khwabon ki galiyon mein
apni bikhri zat ke reze

lamha lamha chunta hun
aane wale waqt ki chap ko sunta hun

aur sochta hun
kya wo sab kuchh jis se

meri zat ka rishta tha
wo sab kuchh pal mein bit gaya hai

kya wo sab kuchh jis se main
ab wabasta hun

yunhi pal mein bit raha hai