shah sahab khush-nazar the
khush-ada the

aur rozi ke andhere raston par
sabr ki tuti hui chappal pahan kar

ek lalak ek tantane ke sath sargarm-e-safar the
aur jine ke maraz mein mubtala the

jo ghizaen dastaras mein thin
ajab be-nur thin

un mein numu-kari na thi
wo jo moti ki si aab aankhon mein thi

jati rahi
putliyon mein khun

kai ki tarah jamne laga
rafta rafta

motiyabind un ke didon par
zamurrad ki tarah utra

ajab parda pada
sare zamane se hijab aane laga

muztarib aankhon ke dhele
khushk pathrae hue

itne be-masraf ki bas
ek sabza darwaze ke pichhe

band sipi ki tarah se
aur andhere aaina dikhlaen istinja karen

sirf dushman raushni ka intizar-e-zindagani ghazwa-e-khandaq hui
is qadar dekha ki na-bina hue

aur jab rawaq nigahon mein
siyahi ki silai phir gai

chhitnar aankhon se
tajalli ki sunahri patiyan girne lagin

to shah sahab aur be-saya hue
un ki andhi muntaqim aankhon mein duniya

ek qatil ki tarah se jam gai
jaise marte sanp ki aankhon mein

apne ajnabi dushman ka aks
yun sarasima hue

yun zat ke sunsan sahraon mein afsurda phire
jaise jite jagte logon ko dekha hi na ho

jo shabihen dhyan mein mahfuz thin
in se rishta hi na ho

jagmagati be-qarar aankhen
kisi sahme hue ghonghe ke hathon ki tarah

dekhti thin sunghti thin lams karti thin
wahi jati rahin to zindagi se rabta jata raha

hamdami ka silsila jata raha
wo jo ek gahra talluq

ek amar sambandh sa
chaaron-taraf bikhri hui chizon se tha

hanste hue rote hue logon se tha
is tarah tuta ki jaise sher ki ek jast se

zubair ki ridh ki haddi chikh jati hai
barson be-tarah be-kal rahe

ek din aankhon mein sahra jal utha
wo khayal aaya ki chehra jal utha

apne beton ko kaleje se lagaya
ji bhara tha abr ke manind roe

rah chuke to ek mohlik aatishin tezab ke
shoala-e-saffak se

un ki faqa-sanj aankhon ko jalaya
aur sajde mein gire

jaise gahri nind mein hon
jaise ek sakte mein hon

muddaton se un bayaban raston par
chaar andhe doston ka ek koras gunjta hai

ai sakhi shahr-e-sakhawat mein guzar auqat kar
ai nazr wale nazr khairaat kar