aarzu Tiis karb tanhaai — Akmal Imaam

fasaad rokne kam-zarf log pahunche hain
gharon mein rah gae raushan zamir jitne the

meraa saaya bhi baDh gayaa mujh se
is saliqe se ghaT gayaa huun main

nai tahqiq ne qatron se nikaale dariyaa
ham ne dekhaa hai ki zarron se zamaane nikle

zindagi ke bahut qarib na jaa
faasla kuchh to apne dhyaan mein rakh

har ek harf se jiine kaa fan numaayaan ho
kuchh is tarah ki ibaarat nisaab mein likhiye

zehn mein ajnabi samton ke hain paikar lekin
dil ke aaine mein sab aks puraane nikle

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

jab ki pahlu se yaar uThtaa hai
dard be-ikhtiyaar uThtaa hai

husn jalva dikhaa gayaa apnaa
ishq baiThaa rahaa udaas kahin

har ik makaan ko hai makin se sharaf 'asad'
majnun jo mar gayaa hai to jangal udaas hai

agle vaqton ke hain ye log inhein kuchh na kaho
jo mai o naghma ko andoh-rubaa kahte hain

na gul-e-naghma huun na parda-e-saaz
main huun apni shikast ki aavaaz