ek aalim hai jo sajdon mein gila kartaa hai — Aisha Ayub

itnaa masruf kar liyaa khud ko
gham bhi aa kar khushi se lauT gae

tumhaari khush-nasibi hai ki tum samjhe nahin ab tak
akele-pan mein aur tanhaai mein jo farq hotaa hai

kuchh umr apni zaat kaa dukh jhelte rahe
kuchh umr kaaenaat kaa dukh jhelnaa paDaa

ek laDki chuDiyaan khankaa rahi thi aur tabhi
us khanak se uTh rahaa thaa jaise zindaani kaa shor

kisi se bhi mukhaatib hon koi bhi baat hoti ho
tumhaaraa naam lene kaa bahaana DhunD lete hain

ujlat mein vo dekho kyaa kyaa chhoD gayaa
apni baatein apnaa chehra chhoD gayaa

kabhi darvesh ke takiya mein bhi aa kar dekho
tang-dasti mein bhi aaraam mayassar niklaa

nigaah chaahiye bas ahl-e-dil faqiron ki
buraa bhi dekhun to mujh ko bhalaa nazar aae

ye baadshaah nahin hai faqir hai suraj
hamesha raat ki jholi se din nikaaltaa hai

ghar-baar chhoD kar vo faqiron se jaa mile
chaahat ne baadshaahon ko mahkum kar diyaa

aTe hue hain faqiron ke pairahan 'kaifi'
jahaan ne bhiik mein miTTi bikher kar di hai

main tire dar kaa bhikaari tu mire dar kaa faqir
aadmi is daur mein khuddaar ho saktaa nahin