mai-e-taza-o-nab hasil nahin hai
to kar lunga durd-e-tah-e-jam pi kar guzara!
mujhe ek nau-ras kali ne
ye tana diya tha:
teri umr ka ye taqaza hai
tu aise phulon ka bhonra bane
jin mein do chaar din ki mahak rah gai ho
ye sach hai wo taswir
jis ke sabhi rang dhundla gae hon
nae rang us mein bhare kaun la kar
nae rang lae kahan se?
tere aasman ka,
main ek taza warid sitara sahi
jaanta hun ki, is aasman par
bahut chand, suraj, sitare ubhar kar
jo ek bar dube to ubhre nahin hain
faramosh-gari ke nile ufuq se,
unhi ki tarah main bhi
na-tajarba-kar insan ki himmat se aage badha hun,
jo aage badha hun,
to dil mein hawas ye nahin hai
ki ab se hazaron baras baad ki dastanon mein
zinda ho ek bar phir nam mera!
ye sham-e-dil-awez to ek bahana hai,
ek koshish-e-na-tawan hai
shabab-e-gurezan ko jate hue rokne ki
wagarna hai kafi mujhe ek pal ka sahaara,
hun ek taza warid, musibat ka mara
main kar lunga durd-e-tah-e-jam pi kar guzara!