sang-abaad mein kya main ne dukan kholi hai
log hairat-zada aate hain chale jate hain

ek kharidar ne puchha ki sabab kya to zaban kholi hai
ye hai qarnon se khada soch ki aawaz ka but

koi wijdan ka mausam koi ilham ki rut
jab bhi aaegi ye dega koi nadida suragh

aap idhar aankh uthaen to dikhai dega
shisha-e-lamha hai ye jis mein hai sadiyon ki sharab

sans ke gamlon mein ye umr-e-do-roza ke gulab
jhad fanus hain takhil ke raushan hain charagh

aandhiyan aaen to ye aankh mala karte hain
roghan-e-fikr ki hiddat se jala karte hain

ghaur se dekhiye kya kya na sujhai dega
dar-o-diwar pe peshaniyan zakhm-aluda

sajde mehrabon mein aaramida o aasuda
kanch ka taq hai ye jis mein hai arman ki qatar

ye jo alfaz khilaunon ki tarah hain in ki
chabiyan nit-nae mafhum ki milti hain hazar

ye hai ehsas ka gul-dan ki hain kaliyan jis mein
jab ye chatken to chhati his ki zarurat hogi

ye wo taswir hai aankhon ki zaban hai jis ki
wo padega jise taufiq-e-basirat hogi

na-farida hai ye duniya magar ek khaka hai
khair-o-shar honge magar surat-e-haalat juda

nek-o-bad ki nai farhang murattab hogi
roz-o-shab honge yahi subh alag raat juda

kya kaha aap ne wo kaun hai! patthar ki tarah
wo koi jins nahin hai ki jo bechi jae

aks-e-zinda hai wo mera na koi chhu pae
wo isi aas pe jita hai ye sab bikhrae

koi gahak idhar aaega payambar ki tarah