khushi ke daur to mehmaan the aate jaate rahe — Yasmeen Hameed

musalsal ek hi tasvir chashm-e-tar mein rahi
charaagh bujh bhi gayaa raushni safar mein rahi

ek divaar uThaai thi baDi ujlat mein
vahi divaar giraane mein bahut der lagi

parda aankhon se haTaane mein bahut der lagi
hamein duniyaa nazar aane mein bahut der lagi

jis samt ki havaa hai usi samt chal paDein
jab kuchh na ho sakaa to yahi faisla kiyaa

apni nigaah par bhi karun e'tibaar kyaa
kis maan par kahun vo miraa intikhaab thaa

raste se miri jang bhi jaari hai abhi tak
aur paanv tale zakhm ki vahshat bhi vahi hai

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

tanhaa tire maatam mein nahin shaam-e-siyah-posh
rahtaa hai sadaa chaak garebaan-e-sahar bhi

lamhe lamhe se bani hai ye zamaane ki kitaab
nuqta nuqta yahaan sadiyon kaa safar lagtaa hai

jaane kitnaa vaqt lagegaa khud se baahar aane mein
tanhaai kaa shor bahut hai shahron ke viraane mein