Mujh ko rula kar vo bhi roya to hoga,
mooh aansuon se usne bhi dhoya to hoga,
agar na kiya hai hasil kuch humne pyar mein,
kuch na kuch usne bhi khoya to hoga...

chudiyan bajti hain chhagal ki sada aati hai
fart-e-betabi se uth uth ke nazar baith gai
tham kar aas har aahat pe jigar baith gai
mera gham-khana ibarat raha tariki se
mauj-e-mahtab kahan khak-ba-sar baith gai
shabnam-alud hua jata hai shab ka daman
tare chamke hain ki ab gard-e-safar baith gai
bhigti raat naha kar mere ashk-e-khun mein
jaane ko utthi hi thi uth ke magar baith gai
us ne dekha ki meri rani lajati aai
aankhen malti hui fitnon ko jagati aai
sar se dhalka hua aanchal shikan-alud libas
chhadi aankhon mein machalti hui nindon ki jhalak
so gai thi zara khud sab ko sulate shayad
nind kachchi thi ki di wade ne dil par dastak
chaunk kar utthi to dekha ki sitare ban kar
auj-e-aflak pe hai mang ki afshan ki damak
shisha-e-mah se chhalak kar mai-e-tund-o-be-dard
us ke mathe se chura leti hai sone ki dalak
chudiyan hathon mein thame chali haule haule
kar de ghammazi mubaada kahin chhagal ki chhanak
surkhi tike ki jabin par zara phaili phaili
jis tarah jam se kuchh thodi si mai jae chhalak
zulfen yun chehre pe bikhri hui mangen thin dil
jis tarah ek khilaune pe miten do baalak
jis tarah gham-khane pe pahunchi to kuchh aaya jo khayal
chudiyan chhod din chhagal bhi hansi chhana-chhanak
fikr hai aai to hai nind ki gomati hai
chudiyan bajti hain chhagal ki sada aati hai

sab raat meri sapnon mein guzar jati hai aur main sota hun
phir subh ki dewi aati hai
apne bistar se uthta hun munh dhota hun
laya tha kal jo double-roti
us mein se aadhi khai thi
baqi jo bachi wo mera aaj ka nashta hai
duniya ke rang anokhe hain
jo mere samne rahta hai us ke ghar mein ghar-wali hai
aur daen pahlu mein ek manzil ka hai makan wo khali hai
aur baen jaanib ek ayyash hai jis ke han ek dashta hai
aur in sab mein ek main bhi hun lekin bas tu hi nahin
hain aur to sab aaram mujhe ek gesuon ki khushbu hi nahin
farigh hota hun nashte se aur apne ghar se nikalta hun
daftar ki rah par chalta hun
raste mein shahr ki raunaq hai ek tanga hai do karen hain
bachche maktab ko jate hain aur tangon ki kya baat kahun
karen to chhichhalti bijli hain tangon ke tiron ko kaise sahun
ye mana in mein sharifon ke ghar ki dhan-daulat hai maya hai
kuchh shokh bhi hain masum bhi hain
lekin raste par paidal mujh se bad-qismat maghmum bhi hain
tangon par barq-e-tabassum hai
baaton ka mitha tarannum hai
uksata hai dhyan ye rah rah kar qudrat ke dil mein tarahhum hai
har chiz to hai maujud yahan ek tu hi nahin ek tu hi nahin
aur meri aankhon mein rone ki himmat hi nahin aansu hi nahin
jun tun rasta kat jata hai aur bandi-khana aata hai
chal kaam mein apne dil ko laga yun koi mujhe samjhata hai
main dhire dhire daftar mein apne dil ko le jata hun
nadan hai dil murakh bachcha ek aur tarah de jata hun
phir kaam ka dariya bahta hai aur hosh mujhe kab rahta hai
jab aadha din dhal jata hai to ghar se afsar aata hai
aur apne kamre mein mujh ko chaprasi se bulwata hai
yun kahta hai wun kahta hai lekin bekar hi rahta hai
main us ki aisi baaton se thak jata hun thak jata hun
pal-bhar ke liye apne kamre ko file lene aata hun
aur dil mein aag sulagti hai main bhi jo koi afsar hota
is shahr ki dhul aur galiyon se kuchh dur mera phir ghar hota
aur tu hoti
lekin main to ek munshi hun tu unche ghar ki rani hai
ye meri prem-kahani hai aur dharti se bhi purani hai

asliyat agar nahin to dhoka hi sahi
allah bahut nahin to thoda hi sahi
taskin ki aakhir koi surat bhi to ho
ruyat mumkin nahin to ruya hi sahi