raat bhar tanhaa rahaa din bhar akelaa main hi thaa — Ibrahim Ashk

zindagi apni musalsal chaahaton kaa ik safar
is safar mein baar-haa mil kar bichhaD jaataa hai vo

na dil mein koi gham rahe na meri aankh nam rahe
har ek dard ko miTaa sharaab laa sharaab de

ye aur baat hai ki barhana thi zindagi
maujud phir bhi mere badan par libaas thaa

kis liye katraa ke jaataa hai musaafir dam to le
aaj sukhaa peD huun kal teraa saayaa main hi thaa

koi to hogaa jis ko miraa intizaar hai
kahtaa hai dil ke shahr-e-tamannaa mein le ke chal

bikhre hue the log khud apne vajud mein
insaan ki zindagi kaa ajab bandobast thaa

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

qarib o duur se aati hai aap ki aavaaz
kabhi bahut hai gham-e-justuju kabhi kam hai

vo dard uThaa dil mein ki jis dard kaa darmaan
gar ho na pas-e-lafz to miltaa hai sar-e-daar