ye kyā batā.eñ ki kis rahguzar kī gard hue
ham aise log ḳhud apne safar kī gard hue
najāt yuuñ bhī bikharne ke karb se na milī
hue jo aa.ina sab kī nazar kī gard hue
ye kin dukhoñ ne cham-o-ḳham tamām chhīn liyā
shuā-e-mahr se ham bhī sharar kī gard hue
sab apne apne ufuq par chamak ke thoḌī der
mujhe to dāman-e-shām-o-sahar kī gard hue
pukāro kah ke hameñ chhāñv jī na bahlegā
bache jo dhuup se pā-e-shajar kī gard hue
hameñ bhī bolnā aatā hai phir bhī haiñ ḳhāmosh
ki ham tire suḳhan-e-muḳhtasar kī gard hue
dhulā sā chehra bhī kuchh maañd paḌ gayā āḳhir
hue na ashk tirī chashm-e-tar kī gard hue
sharīr-o-tund havā thī ki rau ma.ānī kī
tamām lafz lab-e-mo'tabar kī gard hue
ye raah kitnī pur-āshob hai 'fazā' na kaho
qalam kī raah chale ham hunar kī gard hue