is daur ke hain qissa-go
hum shahr-zadon ki suno

ye dastan-e-zist hai
kuchh khwab ki tabir hai

kuchh dard ki tamsil hai
aaindagan ka shahr ya hai raftagan ki aarzu

ek gahma-gahmi ku-ba-ku phaili hui hai chaar-su
ijad-dar-ijad hoti khwahishen aur justuju

har samt mein badhta hua ye kar-zar-e-rang-o-bu
aasaishon ke is ghane jangal mein tanha main ki tu

hum mashal-e-ashufta lau
hum shahr-zadon ki suno

aur aasman se baaten kartin un fasilon ka ye jal
is jal mein mahbus hoti roz-o-shab ye zindagi

is zindagi se munqalib hoti hui waraftagi
har aan hai koi khalish har pal ki jaise tishnagi

har haal mein phir bhi muqaddam kawish-e-asudgi
hum aasman ke rah-rau

hum shahr-zadon ki suno
is kucha-o-bazar mein ajnas ke ambar hain

fitrat se koson dur hain ye jo bhi karobar hain
is daud mein sab log hi paiham subuk-raftar hain

apni mashini zindagi hum aadmi bezar hain
lekin hamare hausle is daur ke meamar hain

hum se mili taron ko zau
hum shahr-zadon ki suno

hai khud-faramoshi pe ghaalib khud-farebi ki chubhan
takrar se tabir hain ye zindagi ke mah-o-san

yaksaniyat ke dasht mein khulta hai nudrat ka chaman
mayus jazbon se idhar kuchh kar dikhane ki lagan

bim-o-raja ke darmiyan hum shahr-zade hain magan
hum shahr-zadon ki suno

hum raqim-e-tarikh-e-nau