main jaanna chahta hun
jab rome jal raha tha

tab wahan kaun kaun log maujud the
kis shakhs ke kan bansuri ki aawaz par lage hue the

aur kis shakhs ki aankhen
aag ki raushni mein chamak rahi thin

main jaanna chahta hun
kaun log nero ki nai-nawazi ki dad de rahe the

aur kaun aag ke shoalon ko hawa
kitne aaram-deh ghar is aag ki nazr ho gae

kitni aali-shan imaraten
rakh ka dher ban gain

kitne logon ki haddiyan
surme ki tarah bikhar gain

kitne dilkash badan
mom-batti ki tarah pighal gae

kitne razmiya darame
kitne alamiya naghme

mayusi aur mohabbat ke kitne git
dil aawezi aur ummid ke kitne naqsh

nist-o-nabud ho gae
aag ki wahshat se ghabra kar

kitne khwab safha-e-hasti se mit gae
rome ki is tabahi ka record

main chahta hun mujhe mil jae
ya kahin se un logon imaraton

aur chizon ki fihrist hi dastiyab ho jae
jo hamesha ke liye is aag mein talaf ho gain

ya phir itni si baat malum ho jae
jab ye aag lagi to

kaun kaun nero ke sath tha
aur kaun kaun rome ke