aaj darvaze khule rahne do
yaad ki aag dahak utthi hai
shayad is raat hamare shohda aa jaaen
aaj darvaze khule rahne do
jante ho kabhi tanha nahin chalte hain shahid?
main ne dariya ke kinare jo pare dekhe hain
jo charaghon ki laven dekhin hain
vo laven bolti thiin zinda zabanon ki tarah
main ne sarhad pe vo naghmat sune hain ki jinhen
kaun gaega shahidon ke siva?
main ne honton pe tabassum ki nai tez chamak dekhi hai
nuur jis ka tha halavat se sharabor
azanon ki tarah!
abhi sarhad se main lauta huun abhi,
main abhi haanp raha huun mujhe dam lene do
raaz vo un ki nigahon men nazar aaya hai
jo hama-gir tha nadida zamanon ki tarah!
yaad ki aag dahak utthi hai
sab tamannaon ke shahron men dahak utthi hai
aaj darvaze khule rahne do
shayad is raat hamare shohda aa jaen!
vaqt ke paanv ulajh jaate hain avaz ki zanjiron se
un ki jhankar se khud vaqt jhanak uthta hai
naghma marta hai kabhi, naala bhi marta hai kabhi?
sansanahat kabhi jaati hai mohabbat ke bujhe tiron se?
main ne dariya ke kinare unhen yuun dekha hai
main ne jis aan men dekha hai unhen
shayad is raat,
is shaam hii,
darvazon pe dastak denge!
shohda itne subuk-pa hain ki jab aenge
na kisi soe parinde ko khabar tak hogi
na darakhton se kisi shakh ke girne ki sada gunjegi
phadphadahat kisi zambur ki bhi kam hi sunai degi
aaj darvaze khule rahne do!
abhi sarhad se main lauta huun abhi
paar jo guzregi us ka hamen gham hi kyuun ho?
paar kya guzregi maalum nahin
ek shab jis men
pareshani-e-alam se ruhon pe girani taari
ruhen sunsan yatim
un pe hamesha ki jafaen bhari
bu-e-kafur agar baste gharon se jaari
be-panah khauf men ruya-e-shikasta ki fughan utthegi
bujhti shamon ka dhuan utthega
paar jo guzregi maalum nahin
apne darvaze khule rahne do