baghair us ke ye hairan hain baghal dekh apni khali ham
ki karvat le nahin sakte hain juun tasvir-e-qali ham
koi atish ka parkala jo vaqt-e-khvab yaad aave
to samjhen kyuun na angare ye gul-ha-e-nihali ham
irada gar kiya dushnam dene ka ab ai pyare
to lab se lab mila kar bas tiri kha lenge gaali ham
na ho pahlu men apne jab vo sabza rang hi zalim
to phir kis rang katen ye bala se raat kaali ham
ladi hai aankh us se jo ye chitvan men jatata hai
kisi ki kya hamen parva hain apne la-ubali ham
na ho vo sim-tan paas apne jab sair-e-shab-e-mah men
karen to dekh kya bas ek pital ki si thali ham
jo ho dur-az-khayal-e-‘mani’-o-‘bahzad’ har surat
baghair-az-mu-qalam khinchin vo tasvir-e-khyali ham
karen vasf-e-jamal-e-yar men ik sher gar mauzun
to samjhen intikhab-e-jumla asha-e-jamali ham
ba-kunj-e-be-kasi padhte hain jo ham marsiya dil ka
to hain aap hi javabi aur aap hi hain savali ham
vo duuba itr men ho mast-e-mai masruf-e-sair-e-gul
aur us ko is ravish dekhen darun-e-bagh-e-khali ham
gul-e-ummid to shayad ki apna bhi shagufta ho
taajjub kuchh nahin gar paaen phal paate sahali ham
zi-bas halat-e-ishq ab ham pe taari hai sada ‘jurat’
ba-tarz-e-ashiqana kahte hain ashar-e-‘hali’ ham