vo ratjaga tha ki afsun-e-ḳhvab taari tha
diye ki lau pe sitaron ka raqs jaari tha
main us ko dekhta tha dam-ba-ḳhud tha hairan tha
kise ḳhabar vo kaḌa vaqt kitna bhari tha
guzarte vaqt ne kya kya na chara saazi ki
vagarna zaḳhm jo us ne diya tha kaari tha
dayar-e-jan men baḌi der men ye baat khuli
mira vajud hi ḳhud nang dost-dari tha
kise bata.un main apni nava ki ramz ‘aḳhtar’
ki harf jo nahin utre main un ka qaari tha