raat odhe hue aai hai faqiron ka libas
chand kashkol-e-gadai ki tarah nadim hai

ek ek sans kisi nam ke sath aati hai
ek ek lamha-e-azad nafas mujrim hai

kaun ye waqt ke ghunghat se bulata hai mujhe
kis ke makhmur ishaare hain ghataon ke qarib

kaun aaya hai chadhane ko tamannaon ke phul
in sulagte hue lamhon ki chitaon ke qarib

wo to tufan thi, sailab ne pala tha use
us ki madhosh umangon ka fusun kya kahiye

thartharaate hue simab ki tafsir bhi kya
raqs karte hue shoale ka junun kya kahiye

raqs ab khatm hua maut ki wadi mein magar
kisi pael ki sada ruh mein tabinda hai

chhup gaya apne nihan-khane mein suraj lekin
dil mein suraj ki ek aawara kiran zinda hai

kaun jaane ki ye aawara kiran bhi chhup jae
kaun jaane ki idhar dhund ka baadal na chhate

kis ko malum ki pael ki sada bhi kho jae
kis ko malum ki ye raat bhi kate na kate

zindagi nind mein dube hue mandir ki tarah
ahd-e-rafta ke har ek but ko liye suti hai

ghantiyan ab bhi magar bajti hain sine ke qarib
ab bhi pichhle ko, kai bar sahar hoti hai