na bhuul kar bhi tamanna-e-rang-o-bu karte
chaman ke phuul agar teri aarzu karte
janab-e-shaikh pahunch jaate hauz-e-kausar tak
agar sharab se mai-khane men vazu karte
masarrat aah tu basti hai kin sitaron men
zamin pe umr hui teri justuju karte
ayagh-e-bada men aa kar vo khud chhalak padta
gar us ke mast zara aur haao hu karte
unhen mafar na tha iqrar-e-ishq se lekin
haya ko zid thi ki vo pas-e-abru karte
pukar uthta vo aa kar dilon ki dhadkan men
ham apne siine men gar us ki justuju karte
gham-e-zamana ne majbur kar diya varna
ye aarzu thi ki bas teri aarzu karte
giran tha saqi-e-dauran pe ek saghar bhi
to kis umiid pe ham khvahish-e-subu karte
junun-e-ishq ki tasir to ye thi ‘akhtar’
ki ham nahin vo khud izhar-e-arzu karte