nazr-e-watan phir ai dil diwana chahiye
phir har qadam pe sajda-e-shukrana chahiye

phir sar-zamin watan ki hai nazron ke samne
phir lab pe ek nara-e-mastana chahiye

bachpan ki yaad leti hai phir dil mein chutkiyan
phir be-khudi ba-hujjat-e-tiflana chahiye

barson ke baad aae hain bagh-e-watan mein hum
phir har kali ko sajda-e-mastana chahiye

kohsar sabz-posh nazar aae dur se
phir lab pe chaar bait ka afsana chahiye

jis kuche mein huin kabhi ruswaiyan nasib
us ka tawaf ba-dil-e-diwana chahiye

bakhsha tha jis ne pahle-pahal dil ko dard-e-ishq
phir us ke dar pe sajda-e-shukrana chahiye

phir dil ko ho yaqin na kisi ke visal ka
phir waqia ba-surat-e-afsana chahiye

phir shauq se milenge kisi gul-ezar se
phir lab pe shor-e-bulbul-e-mastana chahiye

jhula jhulaenge kisi mast-e-shabab ko
raqsan faza mein phir mai-o-mai-khana chahiye

pae talab ko wadi-e-parwin hai nim-gam
phir aarzu ko manzil-e-jaanana chahiye

phir khirman sukun ko hain darkar bijliyan
phir be-hijab jalwa-e-jaanana chahiye

phir zauq-e-mai-kashi ko hai mearaj ki talab
kausar ka baada chand ka paimana chahiye

phir shauq ban ke dil mein dhadakti hai zindagi
phir jumbish-e-tabassum-e-jaanana chahiye

phir sina-e-umid mein raqsan hai barq-e-tur
phir pursish mazaq kalimana chahiye

baala-e-koh saya-e-abr-e-bahaar mein
parwin-o-mahtab ka kashana chahiye

phir us harim-e-nur ke aaghosh-e-naz mein
ek gul-kada ba-rang-e-pari-khana chahiye

phir abr-o-bagh-o-nikhat-o-gul ke hujum mein
shama o sarw o baada-o-paimana chahiye

phir us ki chashm-e-mast pe gesu hon pur-fishan
phir abr-e-sham-gun sar-e-mai-khana chahiye

phir chandni mein daman-e-dariya ye ai nadim
raqs-e-sharab-o-gardish-e-paimana chahiye

josh-e-tarab ne hashr sa dil mein kiya bapa
phir be-khudi ko girya-e-mastana chahiye

'akhtar' watan mein aa ke khula hai ye husn-e-raaz
is mukhtasar si umr mein kya kya na chahiye