aaj darwaze khule rahne do
yaad ki aag dahak utthi hai
shayad is raat hamare shohda aa jaen
aaj darwaze khule rahne do
jaante ho kabhi tanha nahin chalte hain shahid?
main ne dariya ke kinare jo pare dekhe hain
jo charaghon ki lawen dekhin hain
wo lawen bolti thin zinda zabanon ki tarah
main ne sarhad pe wo naghmat sune hain ki jinhen
kaun gaega shahidon ke siwa?
main ne honton pe tabassum ki nai tez chamak dekhi hai
nur jis ka tha halawat se sharabor
azanon ki tarah!
abhi sarhad se main lauta hun abhi,
main abhi hanp raha hun mujhe dam lene do
raaz wo un ki nigahon mein nazar aaya hai
jo hama-gir tha nadida zamanon ki tarah!
yaad ki aag dahak utthi hai
sab tamannaon ke shahron mein dahak utthi hai
aaj darwaze khule rahne do
shayad is raat hamare shohda aa jaen!
waqt ke panw ulajh jate hain aawaz ki zanjiron se
un ki jhankar se khud waqt jhanak uthta hai
naghma marta hai kabhi, nala bhi marta hai kabhi?
sansanahat kabhi jati hai mohabbat ke bujhe tiron se?
main ne dariya ke kinare unhen yun dekha hai
main ne jis aan mein dekha hai unhen
shayad is raat,
is sham hi,
darwazon pe dastak denge!
shohda itne subuk-pa hain ki jab aaenge
na kisi soe parinde ko khabar tak hogi
na darakhton se kisi shakh ke girne ki sada gunjegi
phadphadahat kisi zambur ki bhi kam hi sunai degi
aaj darwaze khule rahne do!
abhi sarhad se main lauta hun abhi
par jo guzregi us ka hamein gham hi kyun ho?
par kya guzregi malum nahin
ek shab jis mein
pareshani-e-alam se ruhon pe girani tari
ruhen sunsan yatim
un pe hamesha ki jafaen bhaari
bu-e-kafur agar baste gharon se jari
be-panah khauf mein ruya-e-shikasta ki fughan utthegi
bujhti shamon ka dhuan utthega
par jo guzregi malum nahin
apne darwaze khule rahne do