ruḳhsat-e-raqs bhi hai paanv men zanjir bhi hai
sar-e-manzar magar ik bolti tasvir bhi hai
mere shanon pe farishton ka bhi hai bar-e-giran
aur mire samne ik malbe ki ta.amir bhi hai
zaicha apna jo dekha hai to sar yaad aaya
jaise in hathon pe kanda koi taqdir bhi hai
ḳhvahishen ḳhuun men utri hain sahifon ki tarah
in kitabon men tire haath ki tahrir bhi hai
jis se milna tha muqaddar vo dobara na mila
aur imkan na tha jis ka vo inan-gir bhi hai
sar-e-divar navishte bhi kai dekhta huun
pas-e-divar magar hasrat-e-tamir bhi hai
main ye samjha tha sulagta huun faqat main hi yahan
ab jo dekha to ye ehsas hama-gir bhi hai
yuun na dekho ki zamana mutvajja ho jaae
ki is andaz-e-nazar men miri tash.hir bhi hai
main ne jo ḳhvab abhi dekha nahin hai ‘aḳhtar’
mera har ḳhvab usi ḳhvab ki ta.abir bhi hai