Vo bhii kyaa log the aasaan thii raahe’n jin kii,
Band aankhe’n kiye ik simt chale jaate they,
Aql-o-dil Khawb-o-haqiiqat kii na uljhan na Khalish,
Mukhtalif jalve nigaaho’n ko na bahlaate they,

Ishq saadaa bhii thaa bekhud bhii junuun_peshaa bhii,
Husn ko apnii adaao’n pe hijaab aataa thaa,
Phool khilte they to phoolo’n mei’n nashaa hotaa thaa,
Raat Dhaltii thii to shiisho’n pe shabaab aataa thaa,

Chaandnii kaif_asar rooh_afzaa hotii thii,
Abr aataa thaa to bad_mast bhii ho jaate they,
Din mei’n shorish bhii huaa kartii thii hangaame bhii,
Raat kii god mei’n moo’nh Dhaa’np ke so jaate they,

Narm rau vaqt ke dhaare pe safiine they ravaa.n,
Saahilo-bahr ke aa_iin na badalte they kabhii,
Naa Khudaao.n pe bharosaa thaa muqaddar pe yaqii.n,
Chaadare-aab se tuufaan na ubalte they kabhii,

Ham ke toofaano.n ke paale bhii sataaye bhii hai.n,
Barqo-baaraa.n me.n vo hii shame.n jalaaye.n kaise,
Ye jo aatish_kadaa duniyaa me.n bha.dak utthaa hai,
Aa.nsuo.n se use har baar bujhaaye.n kaise,

Kar diyaa barq-o-bukhaaraat ne mahashar barpaa,
Apne daftar me.n litaafat ke sivaa kuchh bhii nahii.n,
Ghir gaye vaqt kii beraham kashaakash me.n magar,
Paas tahziib kii daulat ke sivaa kuchh bhii nahii.n,

Yeh andheraa yeh talaatum yeh havaao.n kaa Kharosh,
Is me.n taaro.n kii subuk narm ziyaa kyaa kartii,
Talkhii-e-ziist se ka.davaa huaa aashiq kaa mizaaj,
Nigaah-e-yaar kii maasoom adaa kyaa karatii,

Safar aasaan thaa to manzil bhii ba.Dii raushan thii,
Aaj kis darjaa pur_asaraar hai.n raahe.n apanii,
Kitnii parachhaa_iyaa.n aatii hai.n tajallii ban kar,
Kitne jalvo.n se ulajhatii hai.n nigaahe.n apnii.