Ghazal

"lagtaa hai pech-o-taab ke aage kuchh aur hai is shor-e-inqalaab ke aage kuchh aur hai be-shak mire savaal ke pichhe hai aur baat kyaa tere is javaab ke aage kuchh aur hai har chand meri aankhon ne dekhaa nahin hunuz lekin tilism-e-khvaab ke aage kuchh aur hai jo tujh se khush-jamaal hai aur dil-fareb bhi duniyaa tire shabaab ke aage kuchh aur hai uDtaa huaa uqaab to aankhon mein qaid hai ab dekhiye uqaab ke aage kuchh aur hai haan jis se us zamin kaa tavaazun hai barqaraar din raat ke azaab ke aage kuchh aur hai parda paDaa huaa hai miri aankh par talab yaa barq-o-aaftaab ke aage kuchh aur hai"

"dhuaan uDaate hue din ko raat karte hue malang aag se tathir-e-zaat karte hue kahaa to thaa ye amaanat sambhaal kar rakhnaa hamaari nazr vo kul kaaenaat karte hue main ek jang khud apne khilaaf laDtaa huaa tamaam azv-e-badan mujh se ghaat karte hue ki ham bane hi na the ek dusre ke liye ab is yaqin ko jiinaa hayaat karte hue har ek qaid se aazaad bandishon se pare hasin log hasin vaardaat karte hue agarche kaam thaa mushkil magar maza aayaa kashid zahr se aab-e-hayaat karte hue"

"na shahr mein na kisi dasht-e-hu mein khaak hue hamaare khvaab hamaare lahu mein khaak hue kisi ke haath lagaa kab vo maahtaab-badan kai jiyaale vahin justuju mein khaak hue dhuaan saa uThtaa hai dil se jo sochtaa huun kabhi vo kaun the jo miri aarzu mein khaak hue the kitne giit jo aavaaz ko taraste rahe hazaar raag rag-e-khush-gulu mein khaak hue ab is se achchhaa-bhalaa ikhtitaam kyaa hotaa uThe the main se magar jaa ke tu mein khaak hue"

"tamaasha rahguzar-dar-rahguzar afsos kaa hai bhale hi khush hain sab lekin safar afsos kaa hai bahishti baagh ki sab titliyaan hain par-burida shikasta rang taa-hadd-e-nazar afsos kaa hai abhi itraa rahe hain saakinaan-e-qasr-shaahi abhi aankhon se un ke mahv ghar afsos kaa hai haveli ab kahaan jo qahqahon se gunjti thi jahaan tak dekhtaa huun main khanDar afsos kaa hai kahaan mumkin tire ishrat-kade mein shaam kaaTein abhi to saamnaa har gaam par afsos kaa hai azizo aao ab ik alvidaa'i jashn kar lein ki is ke baa'd ik lambaa safar afsos kaa hai"

"qusur-vaar jo tum ho khataa hamaari bhi hai diye bujhaane mein shaamil havaa hamaari bhi hai bahut aziiz hamein teri dosti hai magar agar ghurur hai tujh mein anaa hamaari bhi hai hamein bhi zeb-e-samaaat kabhi banaayaa jaae dabi dabi hi sahi ik sadaa hamaari bhi hai kisi ne dil pe mire haath rakh ke puchhaa thaa tiri bahisht mein kyaa koi jaa hamaari bhi hai ham is zamin se kis tarah dast-kash ho jaaein isi zamin ke andar ghizaa hamaari bhi hai har ek aankh mein khud ko talaash karte hain abhi shanaakht 'talab' gum-shuda hamaari bhi hai"

"jis ko dekho vahi paikaar mein uljhaa huaa hai har garebaan kisi taar mein uljhaa huaa hai dasht bechain hai vahshat ki paziraai ko dil-e-vahshi dar-o-divaar mein uljhaa huaa hai jang dastak liye aa pahunchi hai darvaaze tak shaahzaada lab-o-rukhsaar mein uljhaa huaa hai ik hikaayat lab-e-izhaar pe hai sokhta-jaan ek qissa abhi kirdaar mein uljhaa huaa hai sar ki qimat mujhe maalum nahin hai lekin aasmaan tak miri dastaar mein uljhaa huaa hai aaiye biich ki divaar giraa dete hain kab se ik masala be-kaar mein uljhaa huaa hai"

"baDaa ajiib thaa us kaa vidaaa honaa bhi na ho sakaa miraa us se lipaT ke ronaa bhi fasilein chhune lagi hain ab aasmaanon ko ajab hai ek dariche kaa band honaa bhi na koi khvaab hai aankhon mein ab na bedaari tire sabab thaa miraa jaagnaa bhi sonaa bhi tire faqir ko itni si jaa bhi kaafi hai jo tere dil mein nikal aae ek konaa bhi ye kam nahin jo mayassar hai zindagi se mujhe kabhi-kabhaar kaa hansnaa udaas honaa bhi tiraa guzaarnaa hamvaar raaston se hamein hamaare paanv mein kaanTe kabhi chubhonaa bhi chalaa gayaa koi aankhon mein gard uDaataa huaa na kaam aayaa koi ToTkaa na Tonaa bhi 'talab' baDi hi aziyyat kaa kaam hotaa hai bikharte TuTte rishton kaa bojh Dhonaa bhi"

"palaT ke jaanib-e-ahl-o-ayaal dekhtaa huun kabhi jab apne lahu mein ubaal dekhtaa huun hanuz kuchh bhi badaltaa nazar nahin aataa hujum dekhtaa huun ishtiaal dekhtaa huun shikast-o-rekht se mujh ko guzaartaa hai vahi isi ke chehre pe gard-e-malaal dekhtaa huun sab ek dhund liye phir rahe hain aankhon mein kisi ke chehre pe maazi na haal dekhtaa huun lagaa huaa huun usi rang ko ubhaarne mein abhi ghazal mein jise khaal khaal dekhtaa huun tamaam surat-e-haalaat inqilaabi hai falak shikasta zamin paaemaal dekhtaa huun mujhe sameT ke rakhtaa hai kitni der 'talab' kisi ke husn-e-nazar kaa kamaal dekhtaa huun"

"manzar ki divaar ke pichhe ik manzar kaali chaadar se munh Dhaanpe ik manzar main jaise hi ik manzar takhliq karun aa kar fauran us ko kaaTe ik manzar chehra paDhnaa chaahun to ojhal ho jaae duur khaDaa phir haath hilaae ik manzar ik manzar chaaqu se guude jism miraa phir aa kar zakhmon ko chaaTe ik manzar ik manzar mein saanp gale se aa lipTe phir rag rag mein zahr utaare ik manzar biich bhanvar suraakhon vaali ik kashti mujhe miri pahchaan karaae ik manzar kab tak aankhein nichi kar ke guzroge aate jaate raah mein Toke ik manzar dharti aur aakaash pareshaan donon hain ek saa aalam uupar niche ik manzar ho saktaa hai ik manzar kaa ho jaaun aa kar aankhon mein chubh jaae ik manzar"

"na main dariyaa na mujh mein zoam koi be-karaani kaa ki main huun bulbule ki shakl mein ehsaas paani kaa mohabbat mein tiri apni zabaan ko si liyaa main ne asar zaail na ho jaae tiri jaadu-bayaani kaa ajab kyaa hai jo meri daastaan-e-khun-chakaan se bhi koi pahlu nikal aae kisi ki shaadmaani kaa main apne paanv ki zanjir ik din khud hi kaaTungaa hadaf bannaa nahin mujh ko kisi ki mehrbaani kaa tumhaare saamne aauun tumhein apni safaai duun sabab maalum ho tab naa tumhaari bad-gumaani kaa miraa siina hazaaron chikhti ruhon kaa maskan hai vasila huun main gungi hasraton ki tarjumaani kaa hamaaraa ahd bhi likkhe alif-lailaa ke jaisaa kuchh badalnaa chaahiye ab rang kuchh qissa-kahaani kaa nahin tere liye ye do minute ki chup nahin kaafi tiraa gham mustahiq hai umr bhi ki nauha-khvaani kaa miri taaid mein bhi ab kisi kaa honT to kaanpe koi to dard baanTe aae meri be-zabaani kaa"

"kahaan kisi kaa banaayaa huaa banaate hain nayaa banaate hain jab ham nayaa banaate hain kisi kaa naqsh banaate hain lauh-e-dil par ham kisi kaa aks sar-e-aaina banaate hain nayaa banaane ki hasrat kabhi nahin marti nae sire se nae ko nayaa banaate hain main ik zamin huun amn-o-amaan ki mutlaashi mire aziiz mujhe karbalaa banaate hain hamaari dasht-navardi ko gumrahi na samajh bhaTakne vaale nayaa raasta banaate hain kahin bhi jaaein kisi shahr mein sukunat ho ham apni tarz ki aab o havaa banaate hain zaminein tang hui jaa rahi hain dil ki tarah ham ab makaan nahin maqbara banaate hain ''talab'' jo log qanaaat-pasand hote hain vo zindagi ko kahaan masala banaate hain"

"zard patton kaa ghubaar uDtaa huaa khema-e-gul mein sharaar uDtaa huaa bah chuki gadraae jismon ki sharaab lams-e-avval kaa khumaar uDtaa huaa sab ne dekhaa aur sab khaamosh the ek suufi kaa mazaar uDtaa huaa lag chuki hai sabz dariyaaon mein aag bhaap ban kar aabshaar uDtaa huaa mutmain divaar par hai chhipkali khud hi aaegaa shikaar uDtaa huaa us ne aa kar haath maathe par rakhaa aur minton mein bukhaar uDtaa huaa"

"bas ek saans liyaa khul ke lakht-lakht huaa ki zindagi na hui kaanch kaa darakht huaa bahut zahin bhi honaa vabaal-e-jaan hai yahaan hamaare saath har ik imtihaan sakht huaa jahaan pe mujh ko halimi se kaam lenaa thaa usi maqaam pe lahja miraa karakht huaa na main kisi ke liye zaad-e-vasl ban paayaa na hijraton mein miraa koi saaz-e-rakht huaa 'talab' havaaon ke siine pe saanp loT gayaa phir ek nanhaa saa paudaa ghanaa darakht huaa"

"shajar par jitni sukhi pattiyaan hain tumhaare naam meri chiTThiyaan hain qarib aane se pahle soch lenaa mire andar bahut si khaamiyaan hain abhi har mauj chup saadhe hue hai abhi saahil pe saari kashtiyaan hain siyaasat ke machhere jaante hain ki kis dariyaa mein kitni machhliyaan hain vahi aadat hai sab ki zaagh jaisi vahi bulbul si miThi boliyaan hain"

"ravaan hai nuur kaa ik sail har-bun-e-mu se mujhe chhuaa hai kisi ne hazaar pahlu se badal ke rakh diyaa jangal ko shahr mein us ne tamaam dasht pareshaan hai ek aahu se khudaa ke vaaste ab rok bhi ye raqs-e-junun sadaa kuchh aur hi aane lagi hai ghunghru se unhein main vaqt ke kaandhe pe Daal detaa huun jo bojh uThte nahin mere dast o baazu se har ek ahd ne likkhaa hai apnaa naama-e-shauq kisi ne khuun se likhaa hai kisi ne aansu se miraa savaal ghazal ke mukhaalifin se hai mujhe nikal ke dikhaa dein ghazal ke jaadu se"

"vo jis ne Dhaal diyaa barf ko sharaare mein main kab se soch rahaa huun usi ke baare mein na jaane niind se kab ghar ke log jaageinge ki ab to dhuup chali aai hai osaare mein main jaag jaag ke shab bhar use talaashtaa huun likhaa huaa hai miraa naam ik sitaare mein khilegi dhuup to vaadi kaa rang nikhregaa abhi to os ki ik dhund hai nazaare mein kabhi dimaagh ko khaatir mein ham ne laayaa nahin ham ahl-e-dil the hamesha rahe khasaare mein 'talab' ye soch ke lag jaae na zabaan mein zang kisi se baat main kartaa nahin ishaare mein"

"badan hai sabz aur shaadaab lekin ruuh pyaasi hai mire andar hazaaron baanjh peDon ki udaasi hai kisi ke dil se ab jazbaat kaa rishta nahin qaaem hansi bhi maslahat-aamez aansu bhi siyaasi hai pae-izhaar kuchh aisaa nahin hai jo anokhaa ho har ik jazba puraanaa hai har ik ehsaas baasi hai hamein har vaqt ye ehsaas daaman-gir rahtaa hai paDe hain Dher saare kaam aur mohlat zaraa si hai simaT kar rah gai hai vusat-e-duniyaa hatheli bhar hamaaraa masala ab bhi hamaari khud-shanaasi hai lagaa huun main 'talab' is sach ko jhuTlaane mein barson se main kal aaqaa thaa jis kaa ab mire beTe ki daasi hai"

"sabab us ki pareshaani kaa main huun namak ki fasl vo paani kaa main huun ye jangal mujh ko raas aanaa nahin hai parinda dasht-e-imkaani kaa main huun miri mushkil miri mushkil nahin hai vasila teri aasaani kaa main huun mujhe duniyaa luTaa degi koi din asaasa aalam-e-faani kaa main huun abhi saahil miraa rasta na dekhe abhi dariyaa ki tughyaani kaa main huun vahin mujh ko supurd-e-khaak karnaa ki jis khaak-e-bayaabaani kaa main huun mire hone kaa kuchh matlab to hogaa to kyaa bekaar be-maani kaa main huun faqiraana tabi'at kaa huun varna 'talab' haqdaar sultaani kaa main huun"

"havaa to hai hi mukhaalif mujhe Daraataa hai kyaa havaa se puchh ke koi diye jalaataa hai kyaa guhar jo hain tah-e-dariyaa to sang-o-khisht bhi hain ye dekhnaa hai miri dastaras mein aataa hai kyaa navaah-e-jaan mein jo chalti hai kaisi aandhi hai diye ki lo ki tarah mujh mein thartharaataa hai kyaa gale mein naam ki takhti gulaab rakhte hain charaag apnaa taaaruf kahin karaataa hai kyaa nishaan-e-qabr bhi chhoDaa nahin raqaabat ne kisi ko aise koi khaak mein milaataa hai kyaa fanaa ke baad hi milti hai zindagi ko davaa 'talab' ye ramz tumhaari samajh mein aataa hai kyaa"

"parinde be-qaraari mein musalsal barf-baari mein hamin kyuun zad mein aate hain hamesha chaand-maari mein hamaari qaum zinda hai faqat mardum-shumaari mein bahut nuqsaan hotaa hai ziyaada hoshiyaari mein kami kuchh rah gai hai kyaa hamaari jaan-nisaari mein qalam faiyyaz hotaa thaa 'talab' be-roz-gaari mein"

"balaa se koi kahe din ko raat chup rahnaa tum apne honTon pe rakh lenaa haat chup rahnaa kahin pe kuchh bhi nazar aae puchhnaa mat kuchh kabhi nikalnaa agar mere saath chup rahnaa khudaa ne bakhshaa hai kyaa zarf mom-batti ko pighalte rahnaa magar saari raat chup rahnaa tumhaare sar pe bagule bhi aa ke chikheinge magar bhulaanaa nahin meri baat chup rahnaa tumhaari chikh tumhein be-panaah kar degi shikaari kab se lagaae hai ghaat chup rahnaa zabaan taalu mein paivast kar ke rakhnaa 'talab' koi mazaaq hai kyaa taa-hayaat chup rahnaa"

"miTaate jaate hain jo bhi nishaan banaate hain ham apne pichhe kahaan kaarvaan banaate hain ham apne haath se apnaa jahaan banaate hain sitaare gaDhte hain aur kahkashaan banaate hain majaal kyaa jo kisi gul ko chhu le baad-e-sumum ham apne tarz-e-amal se khizaan banaate hain hamaare haath magar be-ghari hi lagti hai zamin banaate hain ham aasmaan banaate hain unhein sambhaal ke rakhnaa havaa na denaa tum hamaare sher ye chingaariyaan banaate hain yaqin rakkho ye manzar badalne vaalaa hai sharaar uDne se pahle dhuaan banaate hain kuein se pyaas kaa rishta koi nayaa hai kyaa banaane vaale abas daastaan banaate hain nayaa banaane ki dhun mein pata nahin chaltaa kahaan bigaaDte hain aur kahaan banaate hain kisi buzurg ki sohbat mein baiThte hain 'talab' balaa ki dhuup hai ab saaebaan banaate hain"