hai aadmi bajaae khud ik mahshar-e-khayaal — Mirza Ghalib

phir usi bevafaa pe marte hain
phir vahi zindagi hamaari hai

umr bhar dekhaa kiye marne ki raah
mar gae par dekhiye dikhlaaein kyaa

saadgi o purkaari be-khudi o hushyaari
husn ko taghaaful mein jurat-aazmaa paayaa

girni thi ham pe barq-e-tajalli na tuur par
dete hain baada zarf-e-qadah-khvaar dekh kar

naakaami-e-nigaah hai barq-e-nazaaraa-soz
tu vo nahin ki tujh ko tamaashaa kare koi

marte hain aarzu mein marne ki
maut aati hai par nahin aati

ik aag gham-e-tanhaai ki jo saare badan mein phail gai
jab jism hi saaraa jaltaa ho phir daaman-e-dil ko bachaaein kyaa

ye main thaa yaa mire andar kaa khauf thaa jis ne
tamaam umar di tanhaai ki sazaa mujh ko

sameT laataa huun moti tumhaari yaadon ke
jo khalvaton ke samundar mein Dubtaa huun main

ham bhi kisi shirin ke liye khaana-badar the
farhaad rah-e-ishq mein tanhaa to na niklaa

use baam-e-paziraai pe kaise chhoD duun ab
yahi tanhaai to mere liye siDhi bani hai

ghar se kis tarah main niklun ki ye maddham saa charaagh
main nahin hungaa to tanhaai mein bujh jaaegaa