nazar uthao safir-e-laila bure tamashon ka shahr dekho
ye mera qarya ye wahshaton ka amin qarya
tumhein dikhaun
ye sehan-e-masjid tha yan pe aayat-farosh baithe duaen khilqat ko bechte the
yahan adalat thi aur qazi aman dete the rahzanon ko
aur is jagah par wo khan-qahen thin aab o aatish ki mandiyan thin
jahan pe amrad-parast baithe safa-e-dil ki namazen padh kar
khayal-e-duniya se jaan hatate
safir-e-laila main kya bataun ki ab to sadiyan guzar chuki hain
magar suno ai gharib-e-saya ki tum sharifon ke raaz-dan ho
yahi wo din the main bhul jaun to mujh pe lanat
yahi wo din the safir-e-laila hamari basti mein chhe taraf se fareb utre
daron se aage gharon ke bichon phir us se chulhon ki handiyon mein
jawan-o-pir-o-zanan-e-qarya khushi se raqsan
tamam raqsan
hujum-e-tiflan tha ya tamashe the boznon ke
ki koi diwar-o-dar na chhoda
wo un pe chadh kar sharif chehron ki gardanon ko phalangte the
daraaz-qamat lahim baune
raza-e-baham se kolhuon mein jute hue the
khraste the wo zard ghalla to us ke pisne se khun bahta tha pattharon se
magar na aankhen ki dekh pain na un ki naken ki sunghte wo
faqat wo bailon ki chakkiyan thin saron se khali
fareb khate the khun pite the aur ninden thin bajjuon ki
safir-e-laila ye dastan hai isi khandar ki
isi khandar ke tamash-binon fareb-khurdon ki dastan hai
magar suno ajnabi shanasa
kabhi na kahna ki main ne qarnon ke faslon ko nahin sameta
fasil-e-qarya ke sar pe phenki gai kamanden nahin utarin
tumhein dikhaun tabah basti ke ek jaanib buland tila
buland tile pe baithe baithe hawannaqon-sa
kabhi to rota tha apni aankhon pe hath rakh kar kabhi musalsal main unghta tha
main unghta tha ki sans le lun
magar wo chulhon pe handiyon mein fareb pakte
siyah sanpon ki aisi kaya-kalap hui thi ki meri aankhon pe jam gae the
so yan pe baitha main aane wale dhuen ki talkhi bata raha tha
khabar ke aansu baha raha tha
magar main tanha safir-e-laila
faqat khayalon ki baadshahi meri wirasat
tamam qarye ka ek shair tamam qarye ka ek lain tha
yahi sabab hai safir-e-laila main yan se nikla to kaise ghutnon ke bal utha tha
nasib-e-hijrat ko dekhta tha
safar ki sakhti ko jaanta tha
ye sabz qariyon se sadiyon pichhe ki manzilon ka safar tha mujh ko
jo gard-e-sahra mein lipte kharon ki tez nokon pe jald karna tha aur
wo aisa safar nahin tha jahan pe sae ka rizq hota
jahan hawaon ka lams milta
farishte aawaz-e-al-aman mein mere liye hi
ajal ki rahmat ko mangte the
yahi wo lamhe the jab shafaq ke tawil tilon pe chalte chalte
main dil ke zakhmon ko sath le kar
safar ke parbat se par utra