main tha manda udas
maqbare ke pas

ek sabz hajle mein
apne jamure ka

bechaini se intizar kar raha tha
murjhai hui dhup

kahi dola shahi
khanqah ki zar-nigah

sidhiyon se utarti
dalan par karti

hujre ki sunahri jaliyon se
chhan chhan guzarti

marmarin farsh par
tute hue chitkabre paron ki tarah

halkan padi hui thi
ek kone mein

himaliyai silk route se
smugle kiye hue

bachchiyon ladkiyon auraton wale
chini fauladi jute

palothi ke ladkon ke intizar mein
pighal pighal ke

chhoti chhoti ulte katoron jaisi
be-phande ki aahani

turki topiyon bane baithe the
main choriyan karta

siskariyan bharta
karachi se multan

multan se lahore
lahore se gujraat pahuncha tha

tarah tarah ke ghinaone peshon
aur ghane andeshon se

lad bhid ke
faqiri ikhtiyar ki thi

yahi qaumi mizaj
aur khitte ka riwaj tha

magar das baras tak
bhik mang mang ke

thak chuka tha
hama-waqt munh khula rakhne

aur hath phailane se
ungliyan aur hatheliyan

dikhne lagi thin
jabde karahne lage the

ek dur-andesh
parnae darwesh ke

bar-waqt mashware par
idhar ka safar ikhtiyar kiya tha

panch hazar ki potli
khashkhashi dadhi wale

sajjada-nashin ke hawale kar di thi
wo ek nariki sar wale

chaudah pandrah baras ke hansmukh
ajube ke hamrah

baghli tah-khane mein
ye kah kar utar gae the

aaya abhi aaya
main chadhi dopahar ka saya tha

ab sham tilmila rahi thi
sarasima khayalon mein

waswason ke sanpoliye kulbula rahe the
achanak aawaz aai

sahab dewilry tayyar hai
to kya dekhta hun

bichaare mujawar ke
shanon se ukhde hue

aur tute hue hath
mazbut rassi se

nangi kamar par bandhe hain
didon pe patti hai

honton pe tanke hain
gardan mein patta hai

pate mein chamde ka
chauda sa tasma pada hai

razakar chuhe ne
bille ko mere hawale kiya

aur chup-chap aage rawana hua
us ki jalti hui muntaqim surkh aankhon mein

sadiyon ke sog
jigar jigar jagmaga rahe the