ye rahguzar
ye zan o mard ka hujum ye sham

faraaz-e-koh se jis tarah naddiyan sar par
liye hue shafaq-alud barf ke paikar

safed jhil ki aaghosh mein simat jaen
ye tund-gam subuk-sair karwan-e-hayat

na ibtida ki khabar hai na intiha malum
kidhar se aae kidhar ja rahe hain kya malum

sunahri sham
ye 'e-rose' jhilmilata hua

bandha hua hai nishana khinchi hui hai kaman
kise ye tir lagega

kahan? yahan ki wahan!
nazar nazar se mili dil ka kaam khatm hua

sunahri sham
ye 'erose' jagmagata hai

koi hanse koi roe ye muskuraata hai
isi maqam pe phir laut kar mein aaya hun

ye rahguzar ye zan o mard ka hujum ye sham
ye tund-sair subuk-gam karwan-e-hayat

ye josh-e-rang ye tughyan-e-husn ke jalwe
yahin ke nur se raushan meri nigahen hain

mere shabab ki rondi hui ye rahen hain
wahi maqam hai lekin wahi maqam nahin

ye sham to hai magar wo sunahri sham nahin
wo roab-dab nahin hai

wo dhum-dham nahin
wo main nahin hun

ki un ka main ab ghulam nahin
sanam-kadon mein ujale nahin rahe ki jo the

ki ab wo dekhne wale nahin rahe ki jo the