din raat kis kī yaad thī kaisā malāl thā
sadqe meñ kuchh to bol tū kyā tujh pe haal thā
chhūTā tirā marīz agar mar gayā ki shoḳh
jo dam thā zindagī kā so us par vabāl thā
nāḳhun tire kī mehñdī se tanhā nahīñ haiñ daaġh
chande shafaq se na.al-dar-ātish hilāl thā
is soch se khulī hai haqīqat ki ek umr
makkhī kī farj o shaiḳh kī dāḌhī kā baal thā
jhagḌā mirā kiyā hī na tiiñ saaf varna shoḳh
zarra zabāñ pe teġh kī ye infisāl thā
'qā.em' maiñ reḳhta ko diyā ḳhil.at-e-qubūl
varna ye pesh-e-ahl-e-hunar kyā kamāl thā