darakht haath hilaate the rahnumaai ko — Iqbal Ashhar Quraishi

khud ko jab bhuul se jaate hain to yuun lagtaa hai
zindagi tere azaabon se nikal aae hain

sataayaa aaj munaasib jagah pe baarish ne
isi bahaane Thahar jaaein us kaa ghar hai yahaan

'ashhar' bahut si pattiyaan shaakhon se chhin gaiin
tafsir kyaa karein ki havaa tez ab bhi hai

jo log lauT ke khud mere paas aae hain
vo puchhte hain ki 'ashhar' yahin pe ab tak ho

shaahraahein dafatan shoale ugalne lag gaiin
ghar ki jaanib chal paDaa hai shahr gheraa kar tamaam

ret par ik nishaan hai shaayad
ye hamaaraa makaan hai shaayad

pyaaso raho na dasht mein baarish ke muntazir
maaro zamin pe paanv ki paani nikal paDe

zamaana mujh se judaa ho gayaa zamaana huaa
rahaa hai ab to bichhaDne ko mujh se tu baaqi

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

vo na aaegaa hamein maalum thaa is shaam bhi
intizaar us kaa magar kuchh soch kar karte rahe