waqt ko sahra kahun ya bahr-e-be-sahil kahun
raat hai reg-e-rawan ki lahr ya ki mauj-e-ab-e-zindagi

tare jugnu hain ki moti phul hain ya sipiyan
kahkashan hai dhul taron ki ki mauj-e-pur-kharosh-o-dur-fashan

soch ki chingariyan udti hain yun
jaise dil par chot padti ho kisi ehsas ki

jaise main tanha nahin
waqt ke sahra mein jaise an-ginat sae ubhar kar meri jaanib

daudte aate hun
sae

biti sadiyan jaise par phailae uthin gol gol
apni lashen chhod kar meri taraf aain

ki jaise noch khaengi mujhe
aur phir murda lashen yak-ba-yak wahshi bagulon ki tarah

raqs karti chaar-su
dhol-tashon aur naqqaron ki haibat-nak aawazon pe raqs

khadkhadati haddiyan khud shoale ban kar nachti hain chaar-su
aur ek zartusht sajda rez ho kar

un ki haibat un ki azmat un ki be-rahmi ko karta ho salam
aur wo

us ko apni gul-fishan aaghosh mein le kar uthin
jaise man

apne bachche ko uthae
aur main

waqt ke be-rahm hathon mein hon jaise gidh ke changul mein koi zinda parind
biti sadiyan shab ke sannate main shab-khun mar kar

is tarah yalghaar karti hain ki jaise main nihatta hun
mere tarkash ke tir

mere hi sine mein hain paiwast
main zinda nahin

zinda nahin
2

dekh ai chashm-e-khayal
sar ke taron pe ithlati hui wo ju-e-naghma bu-e-gul

wo urus-e-arzu wo chandni ke pairahan mein husn-e-raqsan mauj-e-mai
wo bahaaron ka tabassum wo jawani ka ghurur

titliyon ki khamushi gungunati ragni
aa rahi hai meri jaanib hath phailae hue

husn jis ke loch se hai sang-e-marmar mein gudaz
husn jis ke rup se aahan hua aaina-saz

husn angdai mein jis ki saikdon qaumon ka raaz
husn jis ke abruon ka jalwa mehrab-e-namaz

husn jis ka ras-bhara sina hazaron gumbadon par sarfaraaz
kya hua wo husn wo doshiza wo mere

khayalon ki dulhan
kho gai apni numu ke parda-e-rangin ke pichhe kho gai

waqt ke sahra mein aiwanon ki azmat sang-sazon ki tarash
hajla-e-simin ki ranai ka afsun ho gai

husn patthar ban gaya fan ki ragon ka garm khun
murda sadiyon ke shabistanon mein apni aarzu se ji utha

aur suraj ki tarah raushan hua
din dhale tak meri aankhon mein raha biti hui sadiyon ka nur

mera sarmaya tha suraj ki mohabbat ka fusun
mere honton par tarane the ki mere zehn mein

git ban ban kar ubharta tha fazaon ka sukut
yaaden phulon ki tarah

dil ke har goshe ko mahkati thin aur mere khayal
sham tak

aaj ki shab ki tamanna mein rahe
nim-shab ki sard tariki mein ye mazi ke bhut

nachte hain har taraf
jaise ye ek aur duniya se dar aate hain yahan

jaise main un dushmanon mein ghir gaya hun jin ki bhuk
mere khun se bujh gai to bujh gai

khushk hain lab dam nikalta ja hai dam-ba-dam
be-hisi chhae chali jati hai ab main kya karun

kya karun
waqt ke sahra ka ek zarra hun main

biti sadiyon ne jise pala magar
aaj main hun un ki aankhon wo khar

jis ko us sahra pe koi haq nahin
kash waqt

wusat-e-sahra mein lae bahr-e-jaulan ka kharosh
aur main apne mazi ki murad

tut kar ek aur hi sahra ka mazi ban sakun