agar main kahta hun jina hai qaid-e-tanhai
to zindagani ki qimat pe harf kyun aae

agar na aaya mujhe sazgar wasl-e-habib
to e'timad-e-mohabbat pe harf kyun aae

agar mile mujhe wirse mein kuchh shikasta khandar
to kaenat ki wusat pe harf kyun aae

agar dikhai diye mujh ko aadmi aaseb
to asr-e-nau ki basirat pe harf kyun aae

agar na rah-e-yaqin pa saki meri tashkik
to fikr-o-fan ki sharafat pe harf kyun aae

agar khizan hi mili mujh ko aankh khulne par
to fasl-e-gul ki amanat pe harf kyun aae

agar mere gham-e-be-nam ko mili wahshat
to bazm-e-jashn-e-masarrat pe harf kyun aae

main apne ahd ka hun nauha-khwan na dije dad
qasida-khwan ki riwayat pe harf kyun aae

agar hunar hai mera jins-e-kam-ayar to ho
zamir-o-dil ki tijarat pe harf kyun aae

main apne khwabon ka bhatka hua musafir hun
agar mujhe na mili manzil-e-najat to kya

main apni ruh ki tanhaiyon ka shoala hun
hawa-e-dahr mein hasil nahin sabaat to kya

main apni turfagi-e-taba ka to pi lun zahr
jo dastaras mein nahin chashma-e-hayat to kya

main apni zat ki khalwat ka hairati hi sahi
jo mujh pe khul na saka raaz-e-kaenat to kya

main apne khun ke charaghon ko raushni de dun
sahar-nasib na ho pae meri raat to kya

main aap se na kahunga ki hai ziyan jaan ka
khayal-e-shisha-e-dil sang-azma na kare

main aap se nahin chahunga dad-e-jaan-bazi
dua hai aap ko gham dard-ashna na kare

main aap se nahin mangunga khun-baha-e-wafa
koi to tark rah-o-rasm-e-ashiqana kare

main aap ko na dikhaunga apne zakhmi khwab
khalal ho aap ke aaram mein khuda na kare

magar zamin prometheus ko kyun roke
jo wo jahan ke khudaon se jang karta hai

use na maut ke aaseb pas aane den
jo aasmanon se le kar hayat utarta hai

hai dar pighalne ka dekhen idhar na barf ke but
jo koi shoala-e-uryan ye hath dharta hai

azab us pe karen kam na qahr ke dewta
jo apni aag mein jal kar bhi raqs karta hai

ise na mane kabhi be-hisi hayat-parast
har ek sans pe jo zinda ho ke marta hai

karen na aap mudawa-e-soz-e-atish-e-gham
ye zulm mujh pe to har roz-o-shab guzarta hai

salamat aap ka iman main to hun kafir
har ek waza se apni hayat karta hai