Chere Main Ne Kabhi Lab-O-Rukhsar Ke Qisse

chere main ne kabhi lab-o-rukhsar ke qisse,
gahe gul-o-bulbul ki hikaayat ko nikhaaraa,

gahe kisi shahazaade ke afsane sunaaye,
gahe kyaa duniyaa-e-paristaan kaa nazaaraa,

main khoyaa rahaa jin-o-malaik ke jahaan main,
har lahajaa agarche mujhe aadam ne pukaaraa,

barason yon hi diljami-e-aurang ki khaatir,
sau phuul khilaaye kabhi sau zakhm kharide,

main likhataa rahaa hijv bagaavat manshon ki,
main parhataa rahaa qasrnashinon ke qaside,

ubharaa bhi agar dil main koi jazabaa-e-sarkash,
is khauf se chup thaa ke koi honTh na si de,

lekin ye tilismaat bhi taa der na rah paaye,
aakhir mai-o-minaa-o-daf-o-chang bhi TuutTe,

yon dast-o-garebaan huaa insan-o-khudaaband,
nakhachir to tarape qafas-e-rang bhi TuuTe,

is kashmakash-e-zarraa-o-anjum ki fizaa main,
kashkol to kyaa afsar-o-aurang bhi TuuTe,

main dekh rahaa thaa mere yaaron ne barhakar,
qaatil ko pukaaraa kabhi maqtal ko sadaa di,

gahe rasn-o-daar ke aagosh main jhuule,
gahe haram-o-dair ki buniyaad hilaa di,

jis aag se bharpuur thaa maahaul kaa sinaa,
wo aag mere lauh-o-qalam ko bhi pilaa di,

aur aaj shikastaa huaa har tauq-e-talaai,
ab fan meraa darbaar ki jagir nahin hai,

ab meraa hunar hai mere jamahuur ki daulat,
ab meraa junon kaif-e-taazir nahin hai,

ab dil pe jo guzaregi be-Tok kahongaa,
ab mere qalam main koi zanjir nahin hai...