Tere honToN ke phuuloN kii chaahat meN ham,
daar kii Khushk tahnii pe vaare gaye,
tere haathoN kii shamm’oN kii hasrat meN ham,
niim taariik raahoN meN maare gaye,
suulioN par hamaare laboN se pare,
tere hoNToN kii laalii lapaktii rahii,
terii zulfoN kii mastii barastii rahii,
tere haathoN kii chaaNd sii damaktii rahii,
jab khulii terii raahoN meN shaam-e-sitam,
ham chale aaye, laaye jahaaN tak qadam,
lab pe harf-e-Ghazal, dil meN qandill-e-Gham,
apnaa Gham thaa gavaahii tere husn kii,
dekh qaayam rahe us gavaahii per ham,
ham jo taariik raahoN meN maare gaye,
naa rasaa’ii agar apnii taqdiir thii,
terii ulfat to apnii hii tadbiir thii,
kis ko shikvaa hai gar shauq ke silsile,
hijr kii qatl-gaahoN se sab jaa mile,
qatl-gaahoN se chun kar hamaare ilm,
aur nikleNge ushshaaq ke qaafile,
jin kii raah-e-talab se hamaare qadam,
muKhtasar kar chale dard ke faasile,
kar chale jin kii Khaatir jahaaNgiir ham,
jaaN gaNvaa kar terii dilbarii kaa bharam,
ham jo taariik raahoN meN maare gaye,

Faiz Ahmed Faiz
Montogomery Jail
15 May 1954