mujh ko ye dar hai mere dost mere yar kahin
gir na jae tere ashaar ka mear kahin

dekh kar qadr-shanason ki tabi'at ka rang
mar na jae tere andar ka kala-kar kahin

puchhta kaun hai shair ya sukhanwar ko ab
aaj ke daur mein kya hai bata azmat in ki

dil ko chhu lete hain mana tere naghme lekin
kya hai logon ki nazar mein bata qimat in ki

puchh kar aa tu zara shahr ke bazaron se
ek bhi jins-e-sukhan ka hai kharidar kahin

sher ki jaanch-parakh to hai badi dur ki baat
ab to mushkil se milen sher samajhne wale

aise mahaul mein ashaar kahe kya koi
is faza mein koi kya shauq sukhan ka pale

qadr hi jab nahin is fan ki rahi kuchh baqi
kya numaish kare fan apne ki fankar kahin

aaj ki nasl adab aur wirasat bhuli
agli pidhi to hai urdu zaban hi se mahrum

kya sarahen wo tera fan tera andaz-e-bayan
jin ko alfaz ke mani bhi nahin hain malum

is faza se mujhe dar hai ki mutassir ho kar
man le tu bhi na ai dost mere haar kahin