ghir ke kyon aae hain yun ranj-o-alam
sham ye kyon ban gai hai sham-e-gham

ja raha hai kaun ye odhe kafan
ro rahe hain kis ko sab ahl-e-sukhan

haal hai abtar sukhan ke bagh ka
dagh hai ye jaanashin-e-'dagh' ka

ho gai hai aaj urdu kyon udas
matami hai kis liye is ka libas

kaun hoga is zaban ka pasban
kaun ab bolega dilli ki zaban

sher sun kar kis ka honge shad-kaam
kaun samjhaega lafzon ka maqam

khamiyon par kis ko ghussa aaega
kaun mohmal lafz par jhallaega

ek sadi ke inqilabon ka bayan
kaun dohraega ab wo dastan

be-khudi to sath 'bekhud' ke gai
rah gai hai hosh ki fitnagari

qaum par hota hai ek saya adib
mulk ka hota hai sarmaya adib

khidmat-e-sher-o-adab karta hai wo
maut aane se nahin marta hai wo

kaun kahta hai ki 'bekhud' mar gae
nam la-fani wo paida kar gae

thak gae the umr bhar ke kaam se
so rahe hain qabr mein aaram se