muddaton baad mila nama-e-jaanan lekin
na koi dil ki hikayat na koi pyar ki baat

na kisi harf mein mahrumi-e-jaan ka qissa
na kisi lafz mein bhule hue iqrar ki baat

na kisi satr pe bhige hue kajal ki lakir
na kahin zikr judai ka na didar ki baat

bas wahi ek hi mazmun ki mere shahr ke log
kaise sahme hue rahte hain gharon mein apne

itni be-nam khamoshi hai ki diwane bhi
koi sauda nahin rakhte hain saron mein apne

ab qafas hi ko nasheman ka badal jaan liya
ab kahan taqat-e-parwaz paron mein apne

wo jo do chaar subu-kash the ki jin ke dam se
gardish-e-jam bhi thi raunaq-e-mai-khana bhi thi

wo jo do chaar nawa-gar the ki jin ke hote
hurmat-e-naghma bhi thi jurat-e-rindana bhi thi

koi maqtal koi zindan koi pardes gaya
chand hi the ki rawish jin ki judagana bhi thi

ab to bas burda-farosh hai jidhar bhi jao
ab to har kucha-o-ku misr ka bazar lage

sar-e-darbar sitada hain bayazen le kar
wo jo kuchh dost kabhi sahab-e-kirdar lage

ghairat-e-ishq ki kal mal-e-tijarat mein na thi
aaj dekho ki hain ambar ke ambar lage

aisa aaseb-zada shahr ki dekha na suna
aisi dahshat hai ki patthar hue sab ke bazu

dar-o-diwar-e-kharabaat wahi hain lekin
na kahin qulqul-e-mina hai na gul-bang-e-subu

be-dili shewa-e-arbab-e-mohabbat thahra
ab koi aae ki jae tananahu-yahu