peDon ki ghani chhaanv aur chait ki hiddat thi — Zulfeqar Ahmad Tabish

ye dar-o-divaar par be-naam se chup-chaap saae
phulon raston aur bachchon ki hifaazat chaahte hain

kis kaa chehra DhunDaa dhuup aur chhaanv mein
aur khvaabon mein rang bhare to kis ke liye

ye naqsh-e-khushnumaa dar-asl naqsh-e-aajizi hai
ki asl-e-husn to andesha-e-bahzaad mein hai

vo saaneha huaa thaa ki bas dil dahal gae!
ik shab mein saare shahr ke chehre badal gae

hamaare shahr mein aane ki surat chaahti hain
havaaein baaryaabi ki ijaazat chaahti hain

kyon tasavvur mein ji rahaa huun main
jab haqiqat mein mar hi jaanaa hai

shaahraahein dafatan shoale ugalne lag gaiin
ghar ki jaanib chal paDaa hai shahr gheraa kar tamaam

vahaan hamaaraa koi muntazir nahin phir bhi
hamein na rok ki ghar jaanaa chaahte hain ham

umr bhar kaun nibhaataa hai ta'alluq itnaa
ai miri jaan ke dushman tujhe allaah rakkhe

na jaane us ne khule aasmaan mein kyaa dekhaa
parinda phir se jahaan-e-qafas mein lauT aayaa

duniyaa gharib jaan ke hansti thi 'mir' par
'iqbaal' mujh pe aise ye duniyaa hansi ki bas