chalo makan ki musibat se bhi najat mili
ye khwab-gah, ye kitchen, ghusl-khane aur baithak

main sochta hun mujhe sochne ko baat mili
hui hain sirf mashaqqat ki koshishen an-thak

nazar-ruba dar-o-diwar ke banane mein
ye qumqume ye tamaddun ki ikhtira-e-jadid

badhi zalalat-e-idrak tirgi na miti
ye sidhiyan hain nigahon ke pech ki mazhar

hayat ki koi pechidgi na dur hui
magar main mahw hun idbar ke mitane mein

ye sidhiyan hain jo in par se gir pade koi
bari ghadi na khuda lae jaane kab aa jae

ye chikna farsh ise dekhta rahe koi
jo kal ko panw tumhaara kahin phisal jae

khuda karam kare mera to dam nikal jae
main sochta hun mujhe soch ka junun jo hua

ye mere zehn ka mahaul pur-fusun jo hua
ye mera zehn mujhe le chala hai dur kahin

wahan jahan kabhi pahle bhi tha makan apna
falak ke sae mein hum the kabhi panah-guzin

ye farsh-e-khak tha qalin-e-zar-fashan apna
ye mahr o mah ye tare the apne ghar ke diye

gul-o-gaya se hai labrez pur-bahaar zamin
jilau mein husn liye dawat-e-nazar ke liye

kabhi hamare liye thi nashist-gah-e-hasin
ye zulf pech se begana mauj-e-sahba thi

ki jis ka barson meri ungliyan rahin shana
ye teri hamdami ek kaifiyat thi nashsha bhi

jahan bhi chahna fauran wahin chale jaana
wo subh sahil-e-dariya wo sham zer-e-chinar

guzar gai wo masarrat ki subh-o-sham apni
hamare dosh pe jab tha na jabr-o-qadr ka bar

chalo chalo ye hikayat hai talkh-kaam apni
utho utho dar-o-diwar ko sajaana hai

makan ko ghahnon-ladi ek dulhan banana hai