tha ek saaya sa pichhe pichhe jo muḌ ke dekha to kuchh nahin tha
ab apni surat ko dekhta huun kabhi jo sad-paikar-afrin tha
vo phir bhi jaan se aziz-tar tha tabi.aten go juda juda thiin
agarche ham-zad bhi nahin tha vo mera ham-shakl bhi nahin tha
main ruk sakunga Thahar sakunga thakan safar ki miTa sakunga
kahin to koi shajar milega tamam raste yahi yaqin tha
kai chaTanen gudaz jismon men apni garmi se dhal gai thiin
buton ke qisse men tesha-karon ka tazkira bhi kahin kahin tha
na jaane kya dhund darmiyan thi ki kohkan ki nazar na pahunchi
jahan se phuTa tha chashma-e-mah-shab ka patthar bhi to vahin tha
main apni avaz ke ta.aqub men mavara-e-nazar bhi pahuncha
magar palaT kar na us ne puchha ki main ḳhala ke bahut qarin tha
vahi manazir luTe luTe se vahi shikasta makan ‘aḳhtar’
main roz-marra ke raste se jo ghar men pahuncha bahut hazin tha