meri pasli mein jama hai kai shahron ka sukut
jaise soya ho kisi ghaar mein tahzib ka bhut

ku-ba-ku karb mahakta hai badan se ud kar
samt-dar-samt bhatakti hai nazar be-maqsad

laut aata hun sar-e-sham jo ghar be-maqsad
sochta hun ki main ab jaun kidhar be-maqsad

hirniyan pyas ki deti hain azan bistar mein
uf ye hassas tabi'at bhi 'ajab ‘illat hai

zahr har soch ka pi jao agar himmat hai
shor ke nag se bachne ki yahi surat hai

warna is nakhl-e-khamoshi ke ghane sae mein
apni pahchan bana lena bahut mushkil hai

koi tuta hai yahan aur koi bismil hai
sab ke daman mein wahi hai jo mujhe hasil hai

koh-o-sahra se pare aur samundar se pare
kyon na ek shahr tilismon ka basa lun main bhi

waqt ke sath koi khel racha lun main bhi
apni tanhai ko dilchasp bana lun main bhi

chhin kar tifl-e-gadagar se sukun ka ehsas
raat-bhar chain se soti hai siyasat jaise

lekin is dhund mein raushan ho basirat jaise
jaanta ho na zamana meri niyyat jaise

phir bhala kaise koi dhong racha paunga
main ki hamam se bahar bhi barahna-tan hun

sard sahra-e-tanaffus ki sulagta ban hun
ya faqat apne shabistan ke liye indhan hun

aasmanon ki bulandi pe khada ek ye sawal
mere chehre ki taraf dekh raha hai dekho