kitni raushan kyun na ho 'azad' aakhir ek din
sham-e-hasti maut ke jhonkon se gul ho jaegi

jaise gahware mein so jata hai tifl-e-shir-khwar
zist aaghosh-e-ajal mein is tarah so jaegi

mah o akhtar hain khajil jis se wo chingari zarur
ek na ek din aalam-e-zulmat mein kho jaegi

lekin is zulmat-kade mein ek nur aisa bhi hai
gardish-e-ayyam jis ke pas aa sakti nahin

ek aisa bhi hai lauh-e-waqt par naqsh-e-dawam
koi shai bhi jis ko aalam se mita sakti nahin

maut jhonke le ke utthe ya bagule le ke aae
azmat-e-kirdar ka shoala bujha sakti nahin