aaina to 'aibon ki khabar detaa hai 'aasif' — Akhtar Asif

jis shakhs ko saae ki hai aaj baDi chaahat
puchho to kabhi us ne paude bhi lagaae hain

nahin hai mujh ko chaman se nikaalnaa aasaan
ba-shakl-e-rang rag-e-gul mein bas gayaa huun main

aaina sach boltaa hai aaina hai mo'tabar
sach ki 'aadat Daal tu bhi mo'tabar ho jaaegaa

main jiyun ehsaan biThaa kar vo bhi ik kam-zarf kaa
zindagi pyaari hai lekin is qadar pyaari nahin

gham hai na ab khushi hai na ummid hai na yaas
sab se najaat paae zamaane guzar gae

vo kuchh muskuraanaa vo kuchh jheinp jaanaa
javaani adaaein sikhaati hain kyaa kyaa

tum aake lauT gae phir bhi ho yahin maujud
tumhaare jism ki khushbu mire makaan mein hai

us ko sochun to dhyaan mein mere
khushbu aati hai pahli baarish ki

ye zindagi hai apni kabhi khush kabhi udaas
is kashmakash se mujh ko khudaayaa rihaai de

nahin nahin main bahut khush rahaa huun tere baghair
yaqin kar ki ye haalat abhi abhi hui hai