ek arse se
jazbaat-o-ehsas ki wadi-e-ishq ki basti

nae purane sabhi makan tamannaon ke
khuli chhaten ahd-o-paiman ki

band jharoke ke aarzuon ke
nim-shikasta diwar-o-dar armanon ke

ummidon ke unche niche lambe chaude
gile aur pathrile raste

rahat ke ashjar sukun ki dub tarab ki khud-raw belen
rang-birangi soch ke phulon ki shatranji

mahrumi ki unchi choti
tanhai ki jaan-lewa dhalwan dukhon ki sakht chattanen dard ki khai

sab par yas ki barf jami thi
chaaron jaanib

thandi aur be-jaan safedi phail rahi thi
jiwan kya tha ek kafan tha

jis ke andar
khud ko apne yakh-basta sine se lagae

main ek zinda lash ki surat pada hua tha
dil ke virane mein kuchh be-chehra lamhe

aasebi sayon ki surat
kanp rahe the hanp rahe the

aaj achanak
ek pari-chehra

mere chehre se be-rang kafan sarka kar
mere kan mein sargoshi ki

meri aankh mein jhank kar boli
uth aur dekh

tere dil ki be-khabar dhadkan mein
kitna pyara kitna dil-awez siyah gulab khila hai