main us ka naam ghule paniyon pe likhta kya
vo ek mauj-e-ravan hai kahin pe rukta kya
tamam harf mire lab pe aa ke jam se gae
na jaane main ne kaha kya aur us ne samjha kya
sabhon ko apni gharaz thi sabhon ko apni baqa
mire liye mire nazdik koi aata kya
ubharta chand mira ham-safar tha dariya men
main dubte hue suraj ko muḌ ke takta kya
parinde ghar ki munderon pe aa ke baiTh gae
main ajnabi tha ishara koi samajhta kya
firaq o vasl to tasviren un ke naam ki hain
main in men rang kisi ke lahu se bharta kya
main apne ghar men nahin tha magar kahin bhi na tha
udhar se mujh ko guzarte kisi ne dekha kya
tamam shahr ravan hai mire ta.aqub men
main aap kya mire ghar ki taraf ko rasta kya
ye raushni kabhi pahle na thi yahan ‘aḳhtar’
sitara raat ki palkon pe koi chamka kya