ye hamara shahr jo shahr-e-'kalim'-o-'shad' hai
dost is ka aaj-kal charkh-e-sitam-ijad hai

ek zamana tha ki ganga ka ye ham-saya nagar
sher-o-hikmat ke liye tha dars-gah-e-mo'tabar

bhai-chaara aur rawa-dari ka tha har-su riwaj
apne apne shughl mein masruf rahta tha samaj

shaeran-e-khush-nawa din raat aate the nazar
gungunate sher kahte har gali ke mod par

aise be-fikron ko jin ki taba mauzun hi na thi
shauq tha kankawwe-bazi ka, bajae-shaeri

mulk mein tahrik-e-azadi ka aaya daur jab
mashghale tafrih ke, dhunde gae kuchh aur tab

thi kabhi to bhuk-hadtal strike, mar-dhad
aur kabhi thi nare-bazi dhar ise us ko pichhad

baad-e-azadi nai masrufiyat ka dar khula
nim to hai nim hi us par karaila bhi chadha

ek nai tahrik aai le ke kuchh tabdiliyan
yani ab tafrih ka saman-e-nau hain railiyan

jis tarah hon khetiyon par hamla-awar tiddiyan
yunhi ahl-e-shahr ke haq mein hain lanat railiyan

kursiyon se jo siyasat-zad-gan mahrum hain
railiyan un ke liye ba-maqsad o mafhum hain

rang-daron ko mila kar bhid ikatthi ki gai
chappa chappa par gali-kuchon ke jo qabiz hui

dafatan mafluj ho kar rah gaya har kaam-kaj
shahr mein chalta raha kuchh der tak rawan ka raj

ittifaqan gar koi dukan khuli pai gai
khub ji bhar ke wo luti aur jalwai gai

har dar-o-diwar ke niche khatalon ki qatar
bich sadkon par maweshi aur ghalazat ki bahaar

aur is manzar ke pichhe raili-bazon ka hujum
tujh ko le aaya kahan ai shahr tera bakht-e-shum