jo mujh ko dekh ke kal raat ro paḌa tha bahut
vo mera kuchh bhi na tha phir bhi ashna tha bahut
main ab bhi raat gae us ki guunj sunta huun
vo harf kam tha bahut kam magar sada tha bahut
zamin ke siine men suraj kahan se utre hain
falak pe duur koi baiTha sochta tha bahut
mujhe jo dekha to kaghaz ko purze purze kiya
vo apni shakl ke ḳhake bana raha tha bahut
main apne haath se nikla to phir kahin na mila
zamana mere ta.aqub men bhi gaya tha bahut
shikast-o-reḳht badan ki ab apne bas men nahin
use bata.un ki vo ramz-ashna tha bahut
bisat us ne ulaT di na jaane soch ke kya
abhi to logon men jiine ka hausla tha bahut
ajab sharik-e-safar tha ki jab paḌav kiya
vo mere paas na Thahra magar ruka tha bahut
sehr ke chak-e-gareban ko dekhne ke liye
vo shaḳhs sub.h talak shab ko jagta tha bahut
vo kam-suḳhan tha magar aisa kam-suḳhan bhi na tha
ki sach hi bolta tha jab bhi bolta tha bahut
hava ke lams se chehre pe phuul khilte the
vo chandni sa badan mauja-e-saba tha bahut
pas-e-daricha do ankhen chamakti rahti thiin
ki us ko niind men chalne ka ariza tha bahut
kahaniyon ki faza bhi use thi raas ‘aḳhtar’
haqiqaton se bhi ohda-bar-a hua tha bahut