thi titliyon ke ta.aqub men zindagi meri
vo shahr kya hua jis ki thi har gali meri
main apni zaat ki tashrih karta phirta tha
na jaane phir kahan avaz kho gai meri
ye sarguzisht-e-zamana ye dastan-e-hayat
adhuri baat men bhi rah gai kami meri
hava-e-koh-e-nida ik zara Thahar ki abhi
zamana ghaur se sunta hai an-kahi meri
main itne zor se chiḳha chaTaḳh gaya hai badan
phir is ke ba.ad kisi ne nahin suni meri
ye darmiyan ka ḳhala hi mira nahin varna
ye asman bhi mera zamin bhi meri
kise ḳhabar ki guhar kaise haath aate hain
samundaron se bhi gahri hai ḳhamushi meri
koi to aae mire paas do ghaḌi baiThe
ki kar gai mujhe tanha ḳhud-agahi meri
kabhi kabhi to zamana raha nigahon men
kabhi kabhi nazar aai na shakl bhi meri
mujhe ḳhabar hai kahan huun main kaun huun ‘aḳhtar’
ki mere naam se surat giri hui meri