Meri umeed doori par rakhe tare meiN rehti hai
khushi bhi ek namoolm saiyare meiN rehti hai

suna hai yaarlog ab sooiaN jeboN meiN rakhte haiN
unheN lagta hai himmat meri gubbare meiN rehti hai

agar tadbeen hooN kyuN hogaya amadae-halat
meri noorani qismat kaise aNdhiare meiN rehti hai

agar jalna moqaddar hai to jalna shamma ki soorat
na ho khwahish koi aisi jo angare meiN rehti hai

agar kuch kehna chahooN lafz bhi dete nahiN haiN saath
ghalatfehmi bhi kuch sab ko mere bare meiN rehti hai

ghazal naqqad bhi kehte haiN ab lekin kami to hai
nahiN woh shae hi jo behte hue dhare meiN rehti hai

masheeni ahd ka purza hooN 'akhtar' phir bhi rakhta hooN
woh ek parwaz ki khwahish jo tayyare meiN rehti hai