Ghazal

"badan ko chaak anaa ko burida kyaa karnaa lahu se rizq bhalaa ab kashid kyaa karnaa ye be-hisi to mire ghar kaa saaneha Thahri gavaah is mein koi chashm-did kyaa karnaa sharik-e-habs havaa ho to maarka kaisaa fasil-e-shahr phir is mein shahid kyaa karnaa ye aaina to kabhi munakis nahin hogaa libaas-e-khalq badal kar mazid kyaa karnaa"

"iraadon kaa badan koi bhi paainda nahin rakhtaa miraa ism-e-mukabbir hi mujhe zinda nahin rakhtaa ab us ki haakimiyyat chand pahron tak simaT aai vo aise haal mein bhi fikr-e-aainda nahin rakhtaa chalaa aataa huun main ilzaam se pahle kaTahre mein adaalat mein anaa ki khud ko sharminda nahin rakhtaa sabhi lahjon ne dars-e-aafiyat to yaad rakkhaa hai musaavi soch lekin koi baashinda nahin rakhtaa main aise sar-phire logon mein bastaa huun jahaan 'akhtar' qabila khatm ho jaae numaainda nahin rakhtaa"

"pyaas ke phuul khilein gham ki tamaazat jaage is baras fikr ki ik aur rivaayat jaage koi tanhaai kaa maatam bhi kare to kaise ek divaar bhi gunje to qayaamat jaage ruuh suqraat ki hai jism hai tiryaak miraa zahr pi luun to har ik samt halaavat jaage meri taabir kaa suraj bhi chamaknaa sikhe khvaab ke shahr mein mere bhi to khilqat jaage raas kyon aae na phir jaagtaa maahaul 'akhtar' shahr so jaae to logon mein adaavat jaage"

"shoala huun phir bhi barf ke ik pairahan mein huun mahsus ho rahaa hai ki zinda kafan mein huun ab jaahilon si baat bhi karnaa muhaal hai kaaTi hui zabaan ki surat dahan mein huun kyaa marhala hai ahd-e-safar se safar talak paanv ruke hue hain musalsal thakan mein huun chaahat ke har muhit se baahar hain valvale hijrat kare hai soch magar khud vatan mein huun phailaa huaa huun dhuup ki surat nagar nagar 'akhtar' main bu-e-gul ki tarah har chaman mein huun"

"lafz likhnaa hai to phir kaaghaz ki niyyat se na Dar is qadar izhaar ki be-maanaviyyat se na Dar dekh! gulshan mein abhi shaakh-e-tahayyur baanjh hai phuul honaa hai to khilne ki aziyyat se na Dar hamrah-e-mausam safar ki bastiyon ke darmiyaan naqsh-bar-divaar baarish ki vasiyyat se na Dar ek halki si sadaa to bin zabaan rakhtaa hai tu chaar jaanib khaamushi ki aksariyyat se na Dar aasmaan ik din patingaa ho sar-e-sham-e-zamin mom kar apne lahu ko jal aziyyat se na Dar"

"be-hisi ki dhuul mein behis aTe rah jaaeinge log apne apne firqon mein baTe rah jaaeinge Dhaanp legi jabr ki dharti parindon ke badan aur baal-o-par fazaaon mein kaTe rah jaaeinge log utar aaeinge ghurbat se mahaaz-aaraai par shahr mein har samt zaalim marhaTe rah jaaeinge jangalon ki samt bah jaaegaa jismon kaa hujum shahr ki viraaniyon mein sar kaTe rah jaaeinge khvaahishein uD jaaeingi taaza havaa ke saath saath bistaraon par silvaTon ke jamghaTe rah jaaeinge aandhiyaan malba banaa ke chhoD jaaeingi unhein hausle apne makaanon ke DaTe rah jaaeinge guftugu zehnon mein kuchh tahlil si ho jaaegi khud-bakhud mafhum honTon par raTe rah jaaeinge manzilein 'akhtar' palaT kar dekhti rah jaaeingi ham talab ki raah mein pichhe haTe rah jaaeinge"

"pahaaD se koi raah utre to main bhi dekhun bulandiyon se nigaah utre to main bhi dekhun gunaah-karda badan hai us kaa to tum bhi dekho salib se be-gunaah utre to main bhi dekhun sahe hain basti ne mausamon ke azaab kyaa kyaa chhaton se aab-o-giyaah utre to main bhi dekhun yahaan kise raas aai hai rasm-e-khud-numaai saron se zauq-e-kulaah utre to main bhi dekhun kahaan kahaan jism dhuup se ho gae hain jal-thal nagar mein shaam-e-siyaah utre to main bhi dekhun"

"shuur-e-gham ki tanhaai se jal-thal ho chuki hai main koi zindagi thaa jo moattal ho chuki hai koi imdaad kaa pahlu nikal aane se pahle jo mushkil thi hamaare saamne hal ho chuki hai sahar kaa jism kyon takte nahin hain basti vaale shab-e-uftaad to aankhon se ojhal ho chuki hai na ab dikhlaao un se miltaa-jultaa koi chehra mire andar ki duniyaa kab ki paagal ho chuki hai hui nazdik manzil to nahin chalne kaa yaaraa badan kamzor hai yaa khaal bojhal ho chuki hai hamaare sar se abr-e-aafiyat guzre to jaanein havaa raftaar mein kitni musalsal ho chuki hai fasilein saamraaji tauq pahne ro rahi hain kahaani shaahzaadon ki mukammal ho chuki hai"

"adaa na hon jab sukhan zabaan se harir jaise nikaalnaa is kamaan se lafz tiir jaise ajiib rut hai anaaj maange hai ab havaa bhi har ek dar pe ye dastakein de faqir jaise sabhi ke haathon mein maas jalne ki bu rachi hai jhulas rahi ho khulus ki har lakir jaise main apne aalam mein tere aalam se puchhtaa huun vahaan bhi baste hain log kyaa mujh asiir jaise use bhi ab hirz-e-jaan banaanaa paDegaa 'akhtar' ki ho gayaa hai harif raushan zamir jaise"