ai mere sher ke naqqad tujhe hai ye gila
ki nahin hai mere ehsas mein sarmasti o kaif

ki nahin hai mere anfas mein bu-e-mai-e-jam
chaman-e-dahr ki taqdir ki main hun wo ghata

jis ne sikha hi nahin abr-e-bahaari ka khiram
raat tarik hai aur main hun wo ek sham-e-hazin

jis ke shoale mein nahin subh-e-darakhshan ka payam
mere phulon mein sabaon na bahaaron ka guzar

meri raaton mein sitaron na shararon ka guzar
meri mahfil mein na mutrib na mughanni ka surud

mere mai-khane mein mauj-e-mai-e-ummid haram
main wo naqqash hun khoya hua bhatka naqqash

jis ke har naqsh mein takhil ke har paikar mein
muskuraati hai bade naz se ruh-e-alam

ai mere dost! mere gham ke parakhne wale
bas chale mera to la dun tujhe ruh-e-gul-e-tar

bakhsh dun apni tadap, apna junun apni nazar
phir tujhe apne shab o roz ka aalam dikhlaun

har tabassum mein tujhe shaiba-e-gham dikhlaun
khun-e-nahaq pe jo hota hai wo matam dikhlaun

partaw-e-khur se jo be-jaan hai wo shabnam dikhlaun
tujh ko dikhlaun ki be-rang hai kis darja sahar

tira-o-tar si ye raat, bhayanak si faza
dagmagate hue qadmon ko mere dost badha

ek zara aur bulandi pe khuda-ra aa ja
dekh is wusat-e-tarik ke sannate ko

dewta maut ka khole hue jaise shahpar
aur is wusat tarik ke sannate mein

koi chhine liye jata hai sitaron ki damak
koi be-nur kiye deta hai shoalon ki lapak

koi kaliyon ko masalta hai to phir kya kije
zakhm-e-gul tujh ko mahakna hai to hans hans ke mahak

kaun sayyaad ki nazron se bhala bachta hai
tair-e-gosha-nashin! khub chahak! khub chahak!

jagti zard si aankhen na kahen lag jaen
dard-e-iflas! zara aur chamak aur chamak!

lal-o-gauhar ke khazane bhi kahin bharte hain
araq-e-mehnat-e-majbur! tapak aur tapak!

hai tere zoaf pe kuchh masti-e-sahba ka guman
ai qadam aur bahak! aur bahak aur bahak!

wo chamakti hui aai tere sar par shamshir
mizha-e-tiflak-e-masum jhapak! jald jhapak!

sina-e-khak mein be-kar hua jata hai jazb
rukh-e-be-dad pe ai khun jhalak! aah jhalak!

qatra qatra yunhi tapkata rahega koi zahr
tu bhi ai sabr ke saghar yunhi tham tham ke chhalak!

maut ka raqs bhi kiya chiz hai ai sham-e-hayat!
han zara aur bhadak aur bhadak aur bhadak!

har taraf kargah-e-dahr mein uthta hai dhuan
har taraf maut ke aasar, tabahi ke nishan

sard ajsam batate nahin manzil ka pata
rahen viran hain, milte nahin rahi ke nishan

zulmat-e-gham hai ki badhti hi chali jati hai
han magar kis ne jalae hain ye hikmat ke diye

aankhen chikhen ki nikal aaya wo ummid ka chand
chaunka diwana ki daman-e-darida ko siye

dauda mai-khwar ki ek jam-e-mai-e-tund piye
khwahish-e-marg mere sine mein hone lagi zabh

dubte dil ne dua mangi ki kuchh aur jiye
yak-ba-yak aandhiyan uthne lagin har jaanib se

aan ki aan main gahna gaya ummid ka chand
aan ki aan mein gul ho gae hikmat ke diye

na to diwane ka daman-e-darida hi sila
na to mai-khwar ko ek qatra-e-sahba hi mila

badliyan chhatne na pai thin ki phir chhane lagin
bijliyan sar pe isi taur se lahrane lagin

jis ke sine mein hon ai dost hazaron nasur
jite-ji us ne bhala chain kabhi paya hai

aah aai hai mere lab pe to kyunkar rokun
kya karun ashk agar palkon pe dhal aaya hai

lekin ai dost! mere dard ke be-his naqqad
mere aansu meri aahen bhi to kuchh kahti hain

meri afsurda nigahen bhi to kuchh kahti hain
aur dagh-e-dil-e-nakaam dikhaun kaise

dil-e-khun-gashta ka paigham sunaun kaise
yun to kahne ko ye aansu hain bas ek qatra-e-ab

jin mein surkhi dil-e-pur-khun ki na soz o tab-o-tab
par koi narm sa jab rag suna dete hain

yahi aansu hain ki ek aag laga dete hain
chain kab deti hain afsurda nigahen meri

aandhiyan sinon mein bhar deti hain aahen meri
sabr ai dost! abhi sard kahan gham ki aag

lab tak aae bhi to jal jaenge sab aish ke rag
sabr ai dost ki ek aisa bhi din aaega

khas ek had se guzar jaega pasti ka shuur
sina-e-khak se phir utthega wo shor-e-nushur

gumbad-e-tira-e-aflak bhi tharraega
wo asiran-e-bala ka dar-e-zindan pe hujum

kanpti tutti zanjiron pe raqs-e-be-rabt
raqs-e-be-rabt mein phir rabt sa aa jaega

ghair ke saghar-e-zarpash ka phir jo bhi ho hashr
apna hi jam-e-sifalin koi chhalkaega

gesu-e-shahid-e-giti mein piro kar moti
koi diwana bahut dad-e-junun paega

sabr ai dost ki ek aisa bhi din aaega
anjuman badlegi sab saz badal jaenge

gane walon ke bhi andaz badal jaenge