kahani ke sare parinde
bahut dur shayad ufuq mein

kahin munjamid ho gae hain
shajar zard patton ki taswir ban kar

alamat ki tahrir ban kar
bikharne laga hai

kisi jhil ke aaine mein wo mah-wash
badan ke kisi zawiye se nikalne ki khwahish mein

palken uthae hue dekhti rah gai hai
parindon ki manind main bhi yahan tha

magar ab nahin hun
ki hone ki khwahish ne shayad mujhe bhi

khala mein muallaq sitaron ki manind gum kar diya hai
na ab mausamon ke sitam hain

na ab raat ki sard aamezishon mein thithurne ki rahat hi aawaz dete hain mujh ko
na patthar ki manind hathon mein suraj

rag-o-pai mein mere lahu ki hararat banega
zamana koi shobada-gar

mujhe dur hi dur le ja raha hai
ki main nim-wa ghaar ki sidhiyon mein utarne laga hun

charagh-e-tilismat milne se pahle
zamin ne mujhe apni aaghosh mein le liya hai

dua bad-dua ban gai hai
ki har lafz ke daere se lahu ris raha hai

kisi sanehe ne zamin se falak ki taraf jate jate
mujhe bhi sitaron mein gum kar diya hai

ki main apne sae ki dahliz par
lazzat-e-ashnai mein khoya hua ajnabi hun