raat ki shakh pe khilte hue taron ke gulab
nikhat-o-nur ki manzil ka pata dete hain

saz betab hai mizrab ki jumbish ke liye
git raqqasa-e-hasti ko sada dete hain

jis ki aawaz mein farda ki khanak shamil hai
ek ubharte hue suraj ki chamak shamil hai

jis ki tabish se shuaon ki phuwaren phutin
jis se pur-haul andheron ka jigar kanp uthe

phul ki tarah subuk tegh ki manind giran
jis ke ehsas se zulmat ki sipar kanp uthe

jis ke sae mein umidon ko jawan hona hai
rifat-e-ishq ko sarmaya-e-jaan hona hai

zindagi thos haqiqat hai koi khwab nahin
phir bhi ek umr bani rahti hai diwane ka khwab

in haqaeq ko bhala kaun bhula sakta hai
sakht haalat ke tapte hue virane ka khwab

bistar-e-makhmal-o-sanjab bhi yaad aata hai
gham-o-alam ka zahrab bhi yaad aata hai

ye mahakte hue gajre ye lahakte hue phul
in pe mustaqbil-e-zarrin ka guman hai ki nahin

ek ehsas-e-bashar ke liye khushbu-e-visal
lakh nazuk ho magar bar-e-garan hai ki nahin

jazba-e-soz-e-darun aaj giraftar hua
ek shair ka junun aaj giraftar hua