khaamosh sahi markazi kirdaar to ham the — 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

main baDaa ho gayaa huun magar bachpanaa
mere dil se kabhi bhi gayaa hi nahin

tum in lakiron mein ik khushi bhi talaash kar lo to moajiza hai
ki main to bachpan se jaantaa huun miri hatheli kaa naam dukh hai

chup-chaap apni aag mein jalte raho 'faraaz'
duniyaa to arz-e-haal se be-aabru kare

hai kuchh aisi hi baat jo chup huun
varna kyaa baat kar nahin aati

hai kuchh to baat 'momin' jo chhaa gai khamoshi
kis but ko de diyaa dil kyuun but se ban gae ho

baat chal niklegi phir iqraar ki inkaar ki
phir vahi bachpan ke bhule giit gaae jaaeinge