raat ki udti hui rakh se bojhal hai nasim
yun asa tek ke chalti hai ki rahm aata hai

sans leti hai darakhton ka sahaara le kar
aur jab us ke libaade se lipat kar koi

patta girta hai to patthar sa ludhak jata hai
shakhen hathon mein liye kitni adhuri kaliyan

mangti hain faqat ek narm si jumbish ki dua
aisa chup-chap hai sanwlai hui subh mein shahr

jaise mabad kisi murjhae hue mazhab ka
sar pe apni hi shikaston ko uthae hue log

ek dorahe pe girohon mein khade hain tanha
yak-ba-yak fasle tanbe ki tarah bajne lage

qadam uthte hain to zarre bhi sada dene lage
dard ke pairhan-e-chaak se jhanko to zara

murda suraj pe latakte hue maile baadal
kisi tufan ki aamad ka pata dete hain!