Ghazal

"phir ik saathi mujhe akelaa chhor gayaa aap sidhaaraa apnaa saayaa chhoD gayaa us ko kitne peD sadaaein dete the vo to sab ko yunhi bulaataa chhoD gayaa ab tak maidaanon ke jism chamakte hain jaane kaisi miTTi dariyaa chhoD gayaa lipaT lipaT kar ik duuje se rote hain jin patton ko havaa kaa jhonkaa chhoD gayaa chaandni shab tu jis ko DhunDne aai hai ye kamra vo shakhs to kab kaa chhoD gayaa chaal thi kitni tez badalte mausam ki kitne hi lamhon ko sisaktaa chhoD gayaa saari munDerein viraan viraan rahti hain jab se 'shaam' nagar tu apnaa chhoD gayaa"

"dinner pe aaj koi us saa aashnaa bhi na thaa vo is se pahle agarche kahin milaa bhi na thaa usi ne aaj bataayaa mujhe ki kaun huun main vo jis ko aaj se pahle main jaantaa bhi na thaa kahaan huun kyuun huun har ik saans puchhti hai mujhe kabhi main apne savaalon mein yuun ghiraa bhi na thaa kisi ki mez pe hi rah gai na jaane kyuun vo Diary ki abhi jis pe kuchh likhaa bhi na thaa tamaam shahr sadaaon ke ik bhanvar mein hai miraa makaan kabhi aise Doltaa bhi na thaa mujhe na jaane vo siine se kyuun lagaae phiraa main koi gul bhi na thaa mauja-e-havaa bhi na thaa vo jis ki dhun mein ham itvaar ko bhi ghar na rahe milaa to apni taraf 'shaam' dekhtaa bhi na thaa"

"roz-o-shab ki shaakh se bichhDaa huaa pattaa huun main vaqt bhi ab DhunDhtaa hai jis ko vo lamha huun main dil ke shishe TuuT jaate hain miri aavaaz se ik shikasta saaz se ubhraa huaa naghma huun main ham-nashinon ko kabhi aati nahin hai aanch tak kitni ThanDi aag hai jis mein sadaa jaltaa huun main zindagi ke shor mein simTe rahe zarre mire ik zaraa tanhaa huaa to kis tarah bikhraa huun main rangton kaa sail thaa yaa khushbuon ki lahr thi ab talak us husn mein us jhiil mein Duubaa huun main in chamakti shaah-raahon par kise apnaa kahun shahr hain aabaad apnon se magar tanhaa huun main 'shaam' yuun to ab khalaaon mein hain apni manzilein aur dekhun to usi dharti se be-rishta huun main"

"umr guzri ki tiri dhun mein chalaa thaa dariyaa jaa-ba-jaa ghumtaa hai aaj bhi paglaa dariyaa banti jaati hain guhar kitni hi bholi yaadein ye miraa dil hai ki Thahraa huaa gahraa dariyaa na kisi mauj kaa naghma hai na girdaab kaa raqs jaane kyaa baat hai khaamosh hai saaraa dariyaa thal ke siine pe pighal jaati hai jab chaand ki barf duur tak ret pe bahtaa hai sunahraa dariyaa haae vo rang bhare pyaar ke maskan pattan haae vo naav se rah rah ke lipaTtaa dariyaa 'shaam' aakaash pe jab phailtaa hai din kaa lahu Duub jaataa hai kisi soch mein bahtaa dariyaa"

"zindagi jis se jaagti hai abhi vo kahaani to an-kahi hai abhi raah mein aur bhi main koh-e-giraan ek divaar hi giri hai abhi jumbish-e-lab hi ban gai tufaan sainkaDon harf guftani hai abhi"

"TuuTe hain kaise khvaahishon ke aainon ko dekh palkon ki tah mein bikhri hui kirchiyon ko dekh main huun tiraa hi aks mire rang par na jaa aankhon mein jhaank apni hi tanhaaiyon ko dekh ye aasmaan ke badle hue rang ghaur kar in mausamon ke biphre hue tevaron ko dekh sun to dar-e-khayaal pe fardaa ki dastakein khud kaa hisaar toD ke jaati ruton ko dekh galiyon mein ghumti hain hazaaron kahaaniyaan chehron pe naqsh vaqt ki pahnaaiyon ko dekh ik ik palak pe chhaai hai mahrumiyon ki shaam zabt-e-sukhan ki aag mein jalte labon ko dekh kahti hai 'shaam' kuchh to makaanon ki khaamushi be-muddaaa nahin hain khule rauzanon ko dekh"

"kuchh nazar aataa nahin hai vo ujaalaa kar diyaa sab hi apnaa aap bhule vo tamaashaa kar diyaa kaan bhi paDti nahin hai ab to aavaaz-e-zamir khokhle zehnon ne itnaa shor barpaa kar diyaa haath khaali hain hamaare aur kuchh rabb-e-jalil tu ne jo kuchh bhi likhaa thaa ham ne puuraa kar diyaa masale jaise chaTaanein rahnumaa jaise havaa vaqt ne kitne falak-boson ko baunaa kar diyaa chuntaa phirtaa huun main apne-aap vahi raat din zindagi ne yuun bikheraa reza reza kar diyaa"

"hashr-e-zulmaat se dil Dartaa hai is ghani raat se dil Dartaa hai barf-e-ehsaas na gal jaae kahin sail-e-auqaat se dil Dartaa hai tu bhi ai dost na ho jaae judaa ab har ik baat se dil Dartaa hai ye kaDi dhuup dahaktaa suraj saae ke saat se dil Dartaa hai haae vo reingti tanhaai jab apni hi zaat se dil Dartaa hai kaise dekheinge vo ujDi aankhein ab mulaaqaat se dil Dartaa hai zakhm ho jaaeinge baaghon ke hare 'shaam' barsaat se dil Dartaa hai"

"kitne dar vaa hain kahin aankh milaaein to sahi is nae shahr se kuchh rabt baDhaaein to sahi kisi khushbu ke taaaqub mein chalin gaam-do-gaam dhyaan mein chaandni kaa shahr basaaein to sahi kuchh to kahti hai sar-e-shaam samundar ki havaa kabhi saahil ki khunuk ret pe jaaein to sahi kyaa khabar oT mein hon us ki manaazir kyaa kyaa apne pindaar ki divaar giraaein to sahi dil ke auraaq pe ab taaza hikaayaat likhein nae lamhon mein nayaa khuun rachaaein to sahi apne bikhre hue zarron ko sameTein phir se bazm phir raqs-e-tamannaa ki sajaaein to sahi 'shaam' ye raushni ye rang ke phaile hue jaal ik zaraa un ke tilismaat mein aaein to sahi"

"kis rang mein hain ahl-e-vafaa us se na kahnaa kyuun phuul hain khushbu se judaa us se na kahnaa Duubi nahin muddat se jo nazron ke bhanvar mein is aankh kaa jo haal huaa us se na kahnaa yaadon ke dar-o-baam pe ik naam vahi naam kyaa jaane kai baar likhaa us se na kahnaa lipTi thi darichon se hasin chaandni kaise kyaa kyaa mujhe taaron ne kahaa us se na kahnaa bujhti hi nahin pyaas yahaan jalte labon ki bin barse guzarti hai ghaTaa us se na kahnaa bikhri thiin kabhi rangatein us suune nagar mein ab 'shaam' na khushbu na havaa us se na kahnaa"

"dil kaa ajiib haal hai teri sadaa ke baad jaise ki aasmaan kaa manzar ghaTaa ke baad kyaa kyaa nuqush ham ne ubhaare the ret par baaqi rahaa na koi bhi vahshi havaa ke baad bikhri hui thiin chaar-su phulon ki pattiyaan gulshan sanvar sanvar gayaa baad-e-sadaa ke baad ab tak fazaa mein gunjti hai ek naghmagi saaraa jahaan hi raqs mein hai is sadaa ke baad ab tak jalaa rahi hai hamein tohmaton ki dhuup ham to ujaaD ho gae fasl-e-vafaa ke baad yaadein khule kivaaD ye mahki hui fazaa kaun aa rahaa hai shaam ye ThanDi havaa ke baad"

"mire liye tiri nazron ki raushni hai bahut ki dekh luun tujhe pal bhar mujhe yahi hai bahut ye aur baat ki chaahat ke zakhm gahre hain tujhe bhulaane ki koshish to varna ki hai bahut kuchh is khataa ki sazaa bhi to kam nahin milti gharib-e-shahr ko ik jurm-e-aagahi hai bahut kahaan se laaun vo chehra vo guftugu vo adaa hazaar husn hai galiyon mein aadmi hai bahut kabhi to mohlat-e-nazzaara nikhat-e-guzaraan labon pe aag sulagti hai tishnagi hai bahut kisi ne hans ke jo dekhaa to ho gae us ke ki is zamaane mein itni si baat bhi hai bahut"

"jaane ai dost kyaa huaa ham ko teraa gham bhi na ab rahaa ham ko ham na aaein kahin ye mumkin hai aap dein to sahi sadaa ham ko khushk patte hain ham na jaane kab le uDe baauli havaa ham ko kab se hain ham to gosh-bar-aavaaz kuchh to ai khaamushi sunaa ham ko kis liye khaar hon talaash mein ham khud hi DhunDegaa raasta ham ko yunhi aa aa ke lipTe jaati hai jaane kahti hai kyaa sabaa ham ko ho gai duur saare din ki thakan 'shaam' se vo sukun milaa ham ko"

"aune-paune ghazlein bechin nazmon kaa bevpaar kiyaa dekho ham ne peT ki khaatir kyaa kyaa kaarobaar kiyaa is basti ke log to sab the chalti phirti divaarein ham ne rang luTaati shab se ujle dinon se pyaar kiyaa zehn se ik ik kar ke teri saari baatein utar gaiin kabhi kabhi to vaqt ne ham ko aisaa bhi naa-chaar kiyaa apnaa-aap bhi khoyaa ham ne logon se bhi chhuTaa saath ik saae ki dhun ne ham ko kaise kaise khaar kiyaa saare ahd kaa bojh thaa sar par dil mein saare jahaan kaa gham vaqt kaa jaltaa ubaltaa sahraa ham ne jis dam paar kiyaa jaagti galiyon unche gharon mein zard andheraa naachtaa hai jis lamhe se ham Darte the us ne aakhir vaar kiyaa shaam ki ThanDi aahon mein bhi teri khushbu shaamil thi raat gae tak peDon ne bhi teraa zikr-azkaar kiyaa"

"raahat-e-nazar bhi hai vo azaab-e-jaan bhi hai us se rabt-e-lazzat bhi aur imtihaan bhi hai faasle miTe bhi hain aur kuchh baDhe bhi hain ye safar zaruri hai aur raaegaan bhi hai umr-bhar ki uljhan de ek pal kaa nazzaara teraa gham haqiqat bhi aur be-nishaan bhi hai teri miThi baaton mein jhiil jhiil aankhon mein aag bhi sulagti hai dard se amaan bhi hai tai karein to ham kaise faasle dil-o-jaan ke ek ye anaa kaa pul apne darmiyaan bhi hai laakh main tujhe bhulun laakh tu mujhe bhule ek rishta-e-benaam apne darmiyaan bhi hai ishq-e-dil mein tughyaani barf barf honTon par sar-phiri bhi hai chaahat aur be-zabaan bhi hai teri zindagi sargarm meri zindagi uljhan raqs mein bhi hai khvaahish aur sargiraan bhi hai 'shaam' jaane kyuun ham ne si liyaa hai honTon ko varna apne haathon mein vaqt ki inaan bhi hai"

"us ko takte bhi nahin the pahle ham bhi khuddaar the kitne pahle us ko dekhaa to ye mahsus huaa ham bahut duur the khud se pahle dil nazar aate hain ab aankhon mein kitne gahre the ye chashme pahle khoe rahte hain ab us ki dhun mein jis ko takte na the pahle pahle ham ko pahchaan liyaa karte the ye tire shahr ke raste pahle ab ujaalon mein bhaTak jaate hain vo samjhaate the andhere pahle ab na alfaaz na ehsaas na yaad itne muflis na hue the pahle rang ke jaal mein aate na kabhi paas se dekh jo lete pahle garm hangaama-e-kaaghaz hai yahaan be-mahak phuul kahaan the pahle"

"raat aai hai guzar jaaegi raushni ban ke bikhar jaaegi haan yunhi chaand ko takte rahnaa chaandni dil mein utar jaaegi lazzat-e-dard bachaa kar rakhnaa nikhat-e-jaan hai bikhar jaaegi karb ki aag lagaa lo dil se kal khudaa jaane kidhar jaaegi isi raste pe bahaa apnaa lahu isi raste se sahar jaaegi jism kaTnaa thaa ye maalum na thaa yuun miri zaat bikhar jaaegi main ne ji-bhar ke tujhe dekhnaa hai ab tiri shakl nikhar jaaegi"

"vaqt ke kitne hi rangon se guzarnaa hai abhi zindagi hai to kai tarah se marnaa hai abhi kaT gayaa din kaa dahaktaa huaa sahraa bhi to kyaa raat ke gahre samundar mein utarnaa hai abhi zehn ke reze to phaile hain fazaa mein har-su jism ko TuuT ke har gaam bikharnaa hai abhi kaun hai jis ke liye ab bhi dhaDaktaa hai dil kis ko is ujDe jazire mein Thaharnaa hai abhi ek ik rang uDaa le gai be-mehr huaa kitne khaake hain jinhein 'shaam'-ji bharnaa hai abhi"

"aise chup chup bhi kyaa jiyaa jaae ab kahin ishq hi kiyaa jaae dil ke shishe pe hai ghubaar bahut aaj kuchh der ro liyaa jaae ajnabi shahr be-namak chehre kise ham-raaz-e-dil kiyaa jaae habs ki pyaas hai bujhegi kahaan aab-e-haivaan hi go piyaa jaae dil hai viraan shahr bhi khaamosh phone hi us ko kar liyaa jaae ek divaar-e-jism baaqi hai ab use bhi giraa diyaa jaae ho gayaa taar taar har manzar 'shaam' chaak-e-nazar siyaa jaae"

"kabhi main aalam-e-imkaan se guzar jaataa huun aur kabhi jism ki daldal mein utar jaataa huun ye bharaa shahr kabhi mujh mein simaT aataa hai kabhi main shahr mein har-gaam bikhar jaataa huun shahr se rahti hai ik jang musalsal din-bhar shahr jab haanpne lagtaa hai to ghar jaataa huun is kashaakash mein hi miltaa hai nishaan hone kaa jab bhi takmil kaa ehsaas ho mar jaataa huun le uDi raushni hi jurat-e-binaai miri ab to main din ke ujaale se bhi Dar jaataa huun apne zarre hi nazar aate hain taa-hadd-e-nazar ik zaraa sar ko jhukaaun to bikhar jaataa huun ek ik aankh mein apni hi kahaani dekhun apnaa chehra nazar aataa hai jidhar jaataa huun shahr sajte hain guzar-gaahein chamak uThti hain apne hi khuun mein Dubun to sanvar jaataa huun 'shaam' khultaa hi nahin maut kaa hangaam hai kyaa vaqt ruk jaataa hai yaa main hi Thahar jaataa huun"

"palkein ujaaD dil hai bujhaa ruuh so gai roe hue bhi yaaro bahut der ho gai ik vo sadaa thi apne to jiine kaa hausla is zindagi ke shor mein ab vo bhi kho gai aai to jaise hone lagaa matla-e-ghazal baiThi to jaise nazm ki takmil ho gai kahte the ab na aaeinge nazron ke jaal mein mauj-e-nasim zehn se har azm dho gai khoe hain us ke sehr mein hi ahl-e-kaarvaan us ki nazar jo vaqt-e-safar rang bo gai uf ye dilon mein phaile khalaaon ki vusatein kaise kahein khalaaon ki taskhir ho gai main huun shikaar-e-fitna-e-ehsaas-e-rang 'shaam' kis tarah ek jism ki taqsim ho gai"

"ik samundar shahr ko aaghosh mein letaa huaa ik samundar tere mere darmiyaan phailaa huaa ek jangal jis mein insaan ko darindon se hai khauf ek jangal jis mein insaan khud se hi sahmaa huaa ek dariyaa ju bujhaa detaa hai maidaanon ki pyaas ek dariyaa khvaahishon ki pyaas kaa chaDhtaa huaa ek sahraa jis mein sannaaTaa bagule aur saraab ek sahraa hasraton ki ret bikhraataa huaa ek mausam jo badaltaa hai nazar ke pairahan ek mausam muddaton se fikr pe Thahraa huaa ek gulshan hai ruton ke aane jaane kaa asiir ek gulshan sab ruton mein zehn mahkaataa huaa"

"kyaa hue phuul se badan kuchh soch chhup gae chaand kyuun maan kuchh soch kyuun sisakti hai chaandni shab-bhar aahein bharti hai kyuun pavan kuchh soch sar jhukaae khaDi rahi pahron teri dahliz par kiran kuchh soch ruuh kaa saath kaun daaim hai phuul se uTh gai phaban kuchh soch baam-o-dar pe bhi kuchh udaasi hai khoe khoe se hain chaman kuchh soch dekh har shaakh hai kaDi zanjir baagh mein jaa na dafatan kuchh soch"

"ghir gayaa huun be-tarah main khvaahishon ke darmiyaan jism ke reze uDaati aandhiyon ke darmiyaan kitne chehre kitni shaklein phir bhi tanhaai vahi kaun le aayaa mujhe in aainon ke darmiyaan ham kahaan yaaro kahaan vo mauja-e-baad-e-nasim vaqt ki pahnaaiyaan haail dilon ke darmiyaan dil pe guzri jo vo guzri shahr kyuun viraan hue ek dahshat si hai phaili raaston ke darmiyaan mudda'aa pinhaan pas-e-alfaaz hai jo paDh sako kuchh nahin paaoge tum in surkhiyon ke darmiyaan jaise khushbu shahr mein sahraa mein jaise chaandni yuun bikhar jaataa huun mein tanhaaiyon ke darmiyaan jis ki khaatir she'r likhte ho kabhi paDhti bhi hai kab talak uljhe rahoge qaafiyon ke darmiyaan 'shaam'-ji bikhre kabhi is dil ke aangan mein mahak zindagi guzregi kab tak aahaTon ke darmiyaan"