vo saaneha huaa thaa ki bas dil dahal gae! — Zulfeqar Ahmad Tabish

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

peDon ki ghani chhaanv aur chait ki hiddat thi
aur aise bhaTakne mein anjaan si lazzat thi

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

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

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

unhein apne dil ki khabrein mire dil se mil rahi hain
main jo un se ruuTh jaaun to payaam tak na pahunche

shama bujh kar rah gai parvaana jal kar rah gayaa
yaadgaar-e-husn-o-ishq ik daagh dil par rah gayaa

chaand ne taan li hai chaadar-e-abr
ab vo kapDe badal rahi hogi

havaa shaakhon mein rukne aur ulajhne ko hai is lamhe
guzarte baadalon mein chaand haail hone vaalaa hai

khudaa ke haath mein mat saunp saare kaamon ko
badalte vaqt pe kuchh apnaa ikhtiyaar bhi rakh