ye tamaashaa sar-e-baazaar nahin ho saktaa — Masood Tanha

bahut khaamosh rahtaa hai jo 'tanhaa'
vo mahfil mein baraabar boltaa hai

bazm-e-yaaraan mein baiThtaa huun magar
meri jaanib harif dekhte hain

shahr mein raunaqein sahi 'tanhaa'
apne gaanv se mat kinaaraa kar

dost hi khubiyaan bataate hain
dost hi khaamiyaan nikaalte hain

dasht-e-ghurbat mein ham-safar na banaa
ham kai mehrbaan chhoD aae

yaadon ke qaafile mein udaasi thi ham-rikaab
hijrat mein tere shahr se 'tanhaa' nahin gae

tumhein fursat ho duniyaa se to ham se aa ke milnaa
hamaare paas fursat ke sivaa kyaa rah gayaa hai

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

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

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

hasin khvaab ko sachchaa samajh rahaa hai koi
faqat gumaan ko duniyaa samajh rahaa hai koi