us sham ki rangini se jo baat chali hai
shab bhar wo meri fikr ko sahlati rahi thi

jo log wahan aae the sab shokh-o-jawan the
har baat pe hanste the uchhal padte the ek dam

kitne hi mazamin dimaghon ne nawaze
kuchh husn ki kuchh ishq ki kuchh khwab ki baaten

mahbub ki aankhon mein utar jaane ke arman
saqi ki adaon se lipatne ki umangen

honton pe koi aah kisi yaad-e-hasin ki
kuchh rang-e-siyasat pe lab-e-fikr ki rahmat

logon ke zamane ke kitabon ke fasane
ummid ki palkon pe kisi shikwe ke aansu

sinon ki kisi talkhi-e-be-nam ke lab par
aakhir mein kisi jang ki afsurda hikayat

mahfil ki tamazat mein bade naz se baithe
ye log kisi zulf ko suljhate rahe the

ek main bhi tha khamosh pareshan wahan par
har lamha meri nazron ne mahfil ko tatola

shayad kahin mil jae koi nanha sharara
ek nuqta jahan rukti hain maqsad ki nigahen

ye log mere dost masarrat ke bhikari
baaton ke siwa in mein koi baat nahin thi