chere main ne kabhi lab-o-rukhsar ke qisse
gahe gul-o-bulbul ki hikaayat ko nikhaaraa

gahe kisi shahazaade ke afsane sunaaye
gahe kyaa duniyaa-e-paristaan kaa nazaaraa

main khoyaa rahaa jin-o-malaik ke jahaan main
har lahajaa agarche mujhe aadam ne pukaaraa

barason yon hi diljami-e-aurang ki khaatir
sau phuul khilaaye kabhi sau zakhm kharide

main likhataa rahaa hijv bagaavat manshon ki
main parhataa rahaa qasrnashinon ke qaside

ubharaa bhi agar dil main koi jazabaa-e-sarkash
is khauf se chup thaa ke koi honTh na si de

lekin ye tilismaat bhi taa der na rah paaye
aakhir mai-o-minaa-o-daf-o-chang bhi TuutTe

yon dast-o-garebaan huaa insan-o-khudaaband
nakhachir to tarape qafas-e-rang bhi TuuTe

is kashmakash-e-zarraa-o-anjum ki fizaa main
kashkol to kyaa afsar-o-aurang bhi TuuTe

main dekh rahaa thaa mere yaaron ne barhakar
qaatil ko pukaaraa kabhi maqtal ko sadaa di

gahe rasn-o-daar ke aagosh main jhuule
gahe haram-o-dair ki buniyaad hilaa di

jis aag se bharpuur thaa maahaul kaa sinaa
wo aag mere lauh-o-qalam ko bhi pilaa di

aur aaj shikastaa huaa har tauq-e-talaai
ab fan meraa darbaar ki jagir nahin hai

ab meraa hunar hai mere jamahuur ki daulat
ab meraa junon kaif-e-taazir nahin hai

ab dil pe jo guzaregi be-Tok kahongaa
ab mere qalam main koi zanjir nahin hai