ye raqs-e-afrinash hai ki shor-e-marg hai ai dil
hawa kuchh is tarah pedon se mil mil kar guzarti hai

ki jaise aakhiri bosa ho ye pahli mohabbat bhi
har ek su marg-ara hai adam-angezi-e-fitrat

magar shayad nigahon mein abhi kuchh zauq baqi hai
ki main is karb mein bhi kaif pata hun

jahan tak dekh pata hun zamin par tabish-e-zar hai
faza-e-nil-gun mein barg-afshani se manzar hai

main in ranginiyon mein dub jata hun
mujhe har husn goya ek dars-e-shadmani hai

ki is takmil mein wo dilkashi hai wo jawani hai
ki phir barbaadi-e-baad-e-khizan ka gham nahin rahta

meri tarik fitrat mein bhi ek taqdis ka shoala
kisi kaif-e-darun se phut jata hai

koi ek qabr par jaise diya rakh de
ye aain-e-gul-afrozi bhi kitna ruh-parwar hai

hariri konpalon se zardgun patjhad ke patton tak
mujhe ek irtiqa-e-husn milta hai

magar daur-e-zaman se aah main pamal-o-afsurda
kahin baitha hua guzre dinon ko yaad karta hun

abhi parchhaiyan kuchh ahd-e-rafta ki
meri aankhon mein hain larzan

meri taswir bachpan ki
abhi tak gosha-e-diwar mein hai wo bhi aawezan

main pahron dekhta rahta hun is taswir ko lekin
yaqin mujh ko nahin aata ki ye mera hi partaw hai

har ek shai ajnabi si ghair si mahsus hoti hai
na koi iztirab-e-dil na koi kahish-e-darman

na zer-e-lab bhi koi talkhi-e-aiyyam ka shikwa
na un ki yaad jo ab zikr bhi mera nahin karte

jo shayad ab mujhe taqwim-e-parina samajhte hain
main darta hun ki is duniya mein koi bhi nahin mera

jo chahun bhi to kis ko dastan-e-gham sunaunga
wo ranj-e-tah-nashin hai jo bayan ho hi nahin sakta

wo baad-e-sard ki be-mehr tezi hai
ki khun-e-dil bhi ab kuchh munjamid malum hota hai

na wo shoridgi baqi na ab wo shor-e-girya hai
mere dagh-e-jigar se wo tarawish bhi nahin hoti

meri ranaiyan mujh se gurezan hain
wo meri fitrat-e-masum wo meri jigar-sozi

wo meri dard-mandi wo khamoshi wo kam-amezi
wo ashkon ki dil-awezi

har ek shai mail-e-parwaz ho jaise
mujhe is ka bahut gham hai

abhi tak is zawal-e-dilbari ka dil ko matam hai
main hairan hun ki kya yazdan bhi koi tifl-e-maktab hai

ki jo yun khel kar par noch leta hai patangon ke
wo kaisi suraten hongi jo zer-e-khak pinhan hain

magar wo log jo mitne se pahle mand pad jaen
wo jin ki guftugu bhi ek sargoshi si ban jae

wo afsurda pasheman muzmahil mayus aae jo
faramoshi ki manzil ki taraf chupke se badhte hain

bhala un ki talafi wada-e-rangin se kya hogi
khuda-e-do-jahan hai tu bhi kitna shokh-o-be-parwa

bahut main ne bhi ki hain dida-e-pur-khun ki tafsiren
magar ye daman-e-tar kya karun gulshan nahin banta

yahi wo sarzamin wo intiha-e-fikr-e-yazdan hai
ki jis mein khak-o-khun ka har ghadi ek khel hota hai

magar phir bhi wahi be-rangi-e-timsal-e-alam hai
kahan wo manzil-e-jaan hai kahan hai khatma aakhir

ye mumkin hai na koi khatma is rah-guzar ka ho
main khair-o-shar ke farsuda tasawwur mein abhi gum hun

nahin malum koi muntaha-e-zindagi bhi hai
ki juz ek nala-e-gardish nahin sarmaya-e-alam

kahin wo bagh-e-rizwan bhi na ek husn-e-tabiat ho
jise gardun samajhta hun wo ek mauhum wusat ho

nahin main mahram-e-raaz-e-darun-mai-kada lekin
yahi mahsus hota hai ki har shai kuchh digar-gun hai

dil-e-fitrat mein hai shayad tamanna-e-jahan-e-nau
magar jaise urus-e-zindagi kahti ho hans hans kar

ki aalam ek bahaar-e-surkhi-e-khun-e-shahidan hai
ye mahr-o-mah o parwin ye zamin ye lala-o-nasrin

ye fanus-e-khali ladkhada kar tut jaega
ye duniya khwab ki jhuti kahani hai

main is rangini-e-auraq se dil-shad kya hunga
mere dil mein nahin ab aarzu-e-khuld bhi baqi

mujhe ye raushni ye aasman ki be-karan wusat
koi dars-e-tamasha ab nahin deti

mere hue safed-o-sim ka aah ye manzar
fareb-e-did hai mera kafan hoga

meri is khak mein ab garmi-e-tamir kya hogi
wo duniya mit chuki ab is ke mitne ka nahin kuchh gham

ye marg-e-na-gahan apna nasiba tha
magar ek tir jaise aaj bhi paiwast ho dil mein

ki wo ranai-e-ain-e-barg-e-gul nahin mujh mein
meri sham-e-khizan kyun itni viran hai?