ajab ek bar sa murdar pahiyon ne uthaya hai
use insan ki bad-bakhti ne jaane kab banaya hai
na model hai, na body hai, na paya hai, na saya hai
parinda hai jise koi shikari mar laya hai
tabiat mustaqil rahti hai na-saz o alil us ki
ati rahti hai nahr us ki phati rahti hai jhil us ki
tawanai qalil us ki to binai bakhil us ki
ki us ko muddaton se kha chuki umr-e-tawil us ki
gareban-chaak engine yun pada hai apne chhappar mein
ki jaise koi kala murgh ho ghee ke kanastar mein
wilayat se kisi 'sir-george-allan-bee' ke sath aai
jawani lut gai to sindh mein ye khush-sifat aai
wahan jab ain us ke sar pe tarikh-e-wafat aai
na jaane kaise hath aai magar phir un ke hath aai
hamare mulk mein angrez ke iqbaal ki motor
san-adtalis mein pure athattar sal ki motor
ye chalti hai to do-tarfa nadamat sath chalti hai
bhare bazar ki puri malamat sath chalti hai
bahan ki iltija man ki mohabbat sath chalti hai
wafa-e-dostan bahr-e-mashaqqat sath chalti hai
bahut kam is kharabe ko kharab engine chillata hai
umuman zor-e-dast-e-dostan hi kaam aata hai
kabhi bailon ke pichhe jot kar chalwai jati hai
kabhi khali khuda ke nam par khichwai jati hai
ba-tarz-e-ashiqana daud kar behosh ho jaana
ba-rang-e-dil-barana jhank kar ru-posh ho jaana
qadam rakhne se pahle laghzish-e-mastana rakhti hai
ki har farlang par apna musafir-khana rakhti hai
shikasta saz mein bhi mahshar-e-naghmat rakhti hai
tawanai nahin rakhti magar jazbaat rakhti hai
purane modalon mein koi unchi zat rakhti hai
abhi pichhli sadi ke baz purza-jat rakhti hai
gham-e-dauran se ab to ye bhi naubat aa gai, aksar
kisi murghi se takrai to khud chakra gai, aksar
hazaron hadse dekhe zamani bhi makani bhi
bahut se rog pale hain ze-rah-e-qadrdani bhi
khajil is sakht-jaani par hai marg-e-na-gahani bhi
khudawanda na koi chiz ho itni purani bhi
kabhi waqt-e-khiram aaya to tyre ka salam aaya
tham ai rah rau ki shayad phir koi mushkil maqam aaya