bahut dinon mein kahin hijr-e-maah-o-saal ke baad — Saleem Kausar

qurbatein hote hue bhi faaslon mein qaid hain
kitni aazaadi se ham apni hadon mein qaid hain

intizaar aur dastakon ke darmiyaan kaTti hai umr
itni aasaani se to baab-e-hunar khultaa nahin

main kisi ke dast-e-talab mein huun to kisi ke harf-e-duaa mein huun
main nasib huun kisi aur kaa mujhe maangtaa koi aur hai

vaqt ruk ruk ke jinhein dekhtaa rahtaa hai 'salim'
ye kabhi vaqt ki raftaar huaa karte the

saae gali mein jaagte rahte hain raat bhar
tanhaaiyon ki oT se jhaankaa na kar mujhe

aaina khud bhi sanvartaa thaa hamaari khaatir
ham tire vaaste tayyaar huaa karte the

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

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

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

main jis mein rah na sakaa ji-huzuriyon ke sabab
ye aadmi hai usi kaamyaab mausam kaa