zulm to be-zaban hai lekin
zakhm ko tu zaban kab dega

chhuri ka tir ka talwar ka to ghao bhara
laga jo zakhm zaban ka raha hamesha hara

badan pe jis ke sharafat ka pairahan dekha
wo aadmi bhi yahan hum ne bad-chalan dekha
kharidne ko jise kam thi daulat-e-duniya
kisi kabir ki mutthi mein wo ratan dekha
mujhe mila hai wahan apna hi badan zakhmi
kahin jo tir se ghayal koi hiran dekha
bada na chhota koi farq bas nazar ka hai
sabhi pe chalte samay ek sa kafan dekha
zaban hai aur bayan aur us ka matlab aur
ajib aaj ki duniya ka wyakaran dekha
lutere daku bhi apne pe naz karne lage
unhonne aaj jo santon ka aacharan dekha
jo sadgi hai kuhan mein hamare ai 'niraj'
kisi pe aur bhi kya aisa bankpan dekha

apni ana ki aaj bhi taskin hum ne ki
ji bhar ke us ke husn ki tauhin hum ne ki
lahje ki tez dhaar se zakhmi kiya use
paiwast dil mein lafz ki sangin hum ne ki
lae ba-ru-e-kar na husn o jamal ko
mauqa tha phir bhi raat na rangin hum ne ki
ji bhar ke dil ki maut pe rone diya use
pursa diya na sabr ki talqin hum ne ki
dariya ki sair karne akele chale gae
sham-e-shafaq ki aap hi tahsin hum ne ki