kitnaa maan gumaan hai dene vaale ko — Akbar Hameedi

kahin to harf-e-aakhir huun main 'akbar'
kisi kaa nuqta-e-aaghaaz huun main

go raahzan kaa vaar bhi kuchh kam na thaa magar
jo vaar kaargar huaa vo rahnumaa kaa thaa

raat din phir rahaa huun galiyon mein
meraa ik shakhs kho gayaa hai yahaan

hu-ba-hu aap hi ki murat hai
zindagi kitni khub-surat hai

jal kar giraa huun sukhe shajar se uDaa nahin
main ne vahi kiyaa jo taqaazaa vafaa kaa thaa

libaas mein hai vo tarz-e-tapaak-e-aaraaish
jo ang chaahe chhupaanaa jhalak jhalak jaae

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

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

husn jalva dikhaa gayaa apnaa
ishq baiThaa rahaa udaas kahin

ishq udaasi ke paighaam to laataa rahtaa hai din raat
lekin ham ko khush rahne ki aadat bahut ziyaada hai

jise paDhaa nahin tum ne kabhi mohabbat se
kitaab-e-zist kaa vo baab hain mire aansu

khud mire aansu chamak rakhte hain gauhar ki tarah
meri chashm-e-aarzu mein maah-o-akhtar kuchh nahin