wo log jo aage guzar gaye
kya sacha tha unka jhooT tha kya!
kis haq ki kHaatir laRhte the!
kis zulm ke haathoN marte the
kya kHwaab the unki aankhoN ke
aur kya unki taabeereN thiN?
jo seel-e-zamaaN ka rizq huiN
wo kya mahkam taameereN thiN?

arzhang jo leer-o-leer hua 
kya kya uss meN tasveereN thiN?
aur paani par jo likhiN gayiN
wo kya mushkil tahreereN thiN?

ik dasht ki jalti miTTi par
kya bahte lahoo ne likha tha!
pardes ke qaatil rastoN meN
kya marte huoN ne socha tha!
jo ahle-chashm ki saf meN gaye
mahloN meN takHt nasheen hue
muflis ke lahoo ke chhenToN se
wo daaman jo rangeen hue
aur kHalq-e-kHuda ke qismat ke
jo maalik ban kar baiTh gaye
laashoN par masnad rakhi aur
phir uss pe tan ke baiTh gaye

au wo jo ilm ke joya the
taaroN pe kamande Daalte the
jo apni soch ke gulshan meN
aafaaq ke taayer paalte the
Taksaal meN fikr-e-farda ki
wajdaan ke sikke Dhaalte the
aur wo jo ishq meN rusva the
jo mirza, raanjhan, heer hue
kHud DhoonDa husn ke phande ko
phir chal kar aap aseer hue
baatan meN utar kar harfoN ke
jo gHalib, kHusro, meer hue
ye sab aur inn se aur kayi
is seel-e-zamaaN ka rizq bane
is gard ke manzar naame meN
ik abr-e-gumaaN ka rizq bane

ab apni apni rau meN haiN
hai kisko fursta, kaun ruke!
kya raaz haiN dil darvaazoN ke?
ab kaun sune aur kaun kahe!
kuchh ghuTti, marti cheekHeN haiN
kuchh larze hue avaaze haiN
kuchh kHauf hai patthar ban ne ka
kuchh bhaTke hue andaaze haiN
kuchh zakhm haiN jinke naam nahi
kuchh bhugte hue kHamiyaaze haiN
tarteeb kaise ho safhoN ki!
sab bikhre hue sheeraze haiN

murgHoN ki tarah iss malbe meN
minqaar daba kar kya hoga
ye raunde hue se taaj o kalaah
maathoN par saja ke kya hoga

jo nauhoN meN tabdeel hue
wo nagHme ga kar kya hoga!
agloN ki jeet aur haar se ham
kyuN kHush haiN! kyuN sharmeenda haiN!
hai lauh-e-jahaaN pe darj yahi
ham apna aap aayinda haiN
bas aik haqeeqat yaad rahe
jis saans talak ham zinda haiN
aao ke chune iss malbe se
jo kHwaab abhi tabeenda haiN
un jazboN ki tauqeer kareN
jo anmiT haiN, paayinda haiN
bas un taaroN ki baat kareN
jo bujh kar bhi rakhshinda haiN

is gard ke manzarnaame meN
jo apne kahe se ruk jaaye
aisa to koi mausam bhi nahi
ye sach hai aankh jhaptke tak
manzar bhi nahi aur ham bhi nahi
ai baad-e-fana se Darte dil
jo dekh sake to kam bhi nahi!
ye nazaare ki fursat bhi!
kuchh kar sakne ki taaqat bhi!
ye pal do pal ki muhlat bhi!