faakhtaaein bolti hain bajron ke des mein — Ali Akbar Natiq

aadhe peD pe sabz parinde aadhaa peD aasebi hai
kaise khule ye raam-kahaani kaun saa hissa meraa hai

hijaab aa gayaa thaa mujh ko dil ke iztiraab par
yahi sabab hai tere dar pe lauT kar na aa sakaa

itnaa aasaan nahin paani se shabihein dhonaa
khud bhi roegaa musavvir ye qayaamat kar ke

sard raaton ki havaa mein uDte patton ke masil
kaun tere shab-navardon ko sambhaale shahr mein

ghubaar-e-shahr mein use na DhunD jo khizaan ki shab
havaa ki raah se milaa, havaa ki raah par gayaa

koi na rasta naap sakaa hai, ret pe chalne vaalon kaa
agle qadam par miT jaaegaa pahlaa naqsh hamaaraa bhi

shaahraahein dafatan shoale ugalne lag gaiin
ghar ki jaanib chal paDaa hai shahr gheraa kar tamaam

ret par ik nishaan hai shaayad
ye hamaaraa makaan hai shaayad

aasmaan jhaank rahaa hai 'khaalid'
chaand kamre mein mire utraa hai

kaho kyaa mehrbaan naa-mehrbaan taqdir hoti hai
kahaa maan ki duaaon mein baDi taasir hoti hai

pyaaso raho na dasht mein baarish ke muntazir
maaro zamin pe paanv ki paani nikal paDe

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