kyon sham ka aanchal maila hai
har samt dhuan sa phaila hai

madum hue aasar sabhi
kaliyon ki chanchal aankhen

jhuki jhuki si munde palken
gul-badan sar nigun ho gae

khushbu bhi udi
aur gesu-e-shab mein ja uljhi

mahtab bhi ubhra chupke se
dhundla dhundla

phika phika
maghmum shuaen phiki si

har samt tha us ka aks-e-hazin
ujda ujda

viran viran
lamhon ki zabanen gung huin

uqde ki kadiyan khulti gain
jab tez thi aandhi dur kahin

udti thi qaba-e-jism wahin
bechain hui phir ruh bahut

kuchh be-awaz si chikhen thin
tahlil hawa mein hoti thin

kuchh abr ke tukde aawara
jaise khushiyon ka pushtara

thak kar bikhra de koi unhen
purwai ka jhonka halka sa

phir dur uda le jae unhen
ab sham ki is tanhai mein

yun baithe hain chup-chap sabhi
kab hogi sahar malum nahin

lekin manzar in subhon ka
nazron mein saja kar baithe hain

har sans giran
har aas guman

har raaz nihan
chup-chap zaban

namnak si aankhon par bojhal
palkon ko jhukae baithe hain