conweyance kuchh bhi jab nazar aaya na daen baen
socha ki aaj hum bhi mini-bus mein baith jaen

jaana tha lalu-khet chadhe the sadr se hum
rukhsat hue the sar-ba-kafan apne ghar se hum

har rah bus ki shahr-e-khamoshan ki rah thi
har seat bus ki aakhiri aaram-gah thi

raqqas-e-khush-ada ki tarah hil rahi thi bus
na-ashna truck se gale mil rahi thi bus

footpath se bhi hath milati hui chali
thumka qadam qadam pe lagati hui chali

purza har ek mazhar-e-chang-o-raubab tha
is bus ka ittifaq se bhonpu kharab tha

dhili kamaniyon mein tarannum bala ka tha
dekha utar ke bus se to jhonka hawa ka tha

gane mein thik-thak the chalne mein weak the
is mahfil-e-samaa mein pahiye sharik the

nazuk samaaton pe sitam dha rahi thi bus
ulte suron mein koi ghazal ga rahi thi bus

ho to gae the bus mein musafir sab adjust
dar tha ki ho na jae kahin tyron mein burst

bus mein sikud ke than se chit ho gae the hum
purze the aur machine mein fit ho gae the hum

jo kuchh bhi mil raha tha liye ja rahe the hum
dhakkon ki gend catch kiye ja rahe the hum

majbur ho gae the jamil o hasin log
murgha bane hue the muazziz-tarin log

bus mein misal-e-shakh-e-samar jhuk gae the log
khuddar o sar-buland the par jhuk gae the log

kuchh shauqiya the kuchh ba-irada jhuke hue
azmat-miyan the sab se zyaada jhuke hue

aazad taba waqif-e-garaje hi na thi
signal ki battiyon ki to muhtaj hi na thi

stop se chali to ruki ek dukan mein
aakhir use panah mili saeban mein

wo log chal diye jo sar-e-rahguzar na the
manzil unhen mili jo sharik-e-safar na the