shab ki tanhaaiyon mein yaad us ki — Shahzad Ahmad

ab to insaan ki azmat bhi koi chiiz nahin
log patthar ko khudaa maan liyaa karte the

zabaanein thak chukin patthar hue kaan
kahaani an-kahi thi an-kahi hai

ek se manzar dekh dekh kar aankhein dukhne lagti hain
is raste par peD bahut hain aur haraa koi bhi nahin

khule asraar us par jism ke aahista aahista
bahut din mein use baatein na karne kaa hunar aayaa

bharpur nahin hain kisi chehre ke khad-o-khaal
dekhaa nahin vo chaand jo puuraa nazar aae

khuli fazaa mein agar laDkhaDaa ke chal na sakein
to zahr piinaa hai behtar sharaab piine se

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

jab ki pahlu se yaar uThtaa hai
dard be-ikhtiyaar uThtaa hai

husn jalva dikhaa gayaa apnaa
ishq baiThaa rahaa udaas kahin

sukhan ke aakhiri dar par sadaa lagaataa huun
'zahur' agle zamaanon se guftugu hai miri

kabhi ishq saaz-e-hayaat thaa kabhi soz-e-dil ne jalaa diyaa
kabhi vasl mein bhi kasak rahi kabhi dard-o-gham ne bhi mazaa diyaa

koi bhi hal nahin udaasi kaa
mujh se kamre ne baarhaa puchhaa