tum se do harf ka ḳhat bhi nahin likkha jaata
jaao ab yuun bhi ta.alluq nahin toḌa jaata
dil ka ahval na puchho ki bahut roz hue
is ḳharabe ki taraf main nahin aata jaata
tishnagi ne kabhi dariyaon se milne na diya
ham jidhar jaate usi raah men sahra jaata
zindagi! rahne bhi de soch ki had hoti hai
itna socha hai ki sadiyon men na socha jaata
us ko andaz-e-taghaful bhi na aaya ab tak
bhulne hi ko sahi yaad to rakkha jaata
haa.e vo daur ki aansu bhi na the ankhon men
aur chehra tha ki be-ro.e bhi bhiga jaata
bhulta hi nahin vo marhala-e-raz-o-niyaz
ham manate to koi aur bhi ruTha jaata
pas-e-divar ka manzar bhi gaya apne saath
sahn-e-viran se patthar kahan phenka jaata
shaam hote hi koi sham.a jala rakhni thi
jab dariche se hava aati to dekha jaata
raushni apne gharondon men chhupi thi varna
shahr ke shahr pe shab-ḳhun na maara jaata
itne aansu miri ankhon men kahan the ‘qaisar’
umr bhar dal ke janaze pe jo roya jaata
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