barsoñ ke rat-jagoñ kī thakan khā ga.ī mujhe

sūraj nikal rahā thā ki niiñd aa ga.ī mujhe

rakkhī na zindagī ne mirī muflisī kī sharm

chādar banā ke raah meñ phailā ga.ī mujhe

maiñ bik gayā thā baad meñ be-sarfa jaan kar

duniyā mirī dukān pe lauTā ga.ī mujhe

dariyā pe ek tanz samajhiye ki tishnagī

sāhil kī sard ret meñ dafnā ga.ī mujhe

ai zindagī tamām lahū rā.egāñ huā

kis dasht-e-be-savād meñ barsā ga.ī mujhe

kāġhaz kā chāñd rakh diyā duniyā ne haath meñ

pahle safar kī raat hī raas aa ga.ī mujhe

kyā chiiz thī kisī kī adā-e-supurdagī

bhīge badan kī aag meñ nahlā ga.ī mujhe

'qaisar' qalam kī aag kā ehsānmand huuñ

jab uñgliyāñ jalīñ to ġhazal aa ga.ī mujhe