taarikh bataaegi vo qatra hai ki dariyaa — Afroz Alam

har khvaab shikasta hai taamir-e-nasheman kaa
har subh ke maathe par baazaar ki garmi hai

ye khulaa jism khule baal ye halke malbus
tum nai subh kaa aaghaaz karoge shaayad

tumhaari guftugu se aas ki khushbu chhalakti hai
jahaan tum ho vahaan pe zindagi maalum hoti hai

gum-sum saa khaDaa hai koi darvaaza-e-dil par
is shaam kaa manzar to dil-aavez bahut hai

main zehni taur pe aavaara hotaa jaataa huun
mire shuur mujhe apni had ke andar khinch

sataati hai tumhaari yaad jab mujh ko shab-e-hijraan
mujhe khud apni hasti ajnabi maalum hoti hai

gham hai na ab khushi hai na ummid hai na yaas
sab se najaat paae zamaane guzar gae

jab ki pahlu se yaar uThtaa hai
dard be-ikhtiyaar uThtaa hai

husn jalva dikhaa gayaa apnaa
ishq baiThaa rahaa udaas kahin

ye saal tul-e-masaafat se chuur chuur gayaa
ye ek saal to guzraa hai ik sadi ki tarah

kisi ki yaad manaane mein iid guzregi
so shahr-e-dil mein bahut duur tak udaasi hai

aisi taraqqi par to ronaa bantaa hai
jis mein dahshat-gard corona bantaa hai