qais ho kohkan ho yaa 'haali' — Altaf Hussain Hali

ek raushan dimaagh thaa na rahaa
shahar mein ik charaagh thaa na rahaa

aa rahi hai chaah-e-yusuf se sadaa
dost yaan thoDe hain aur bhaai bahut

jaanvar aadmi farishta khudaa
aadmi ki hain saikaDon qismein

ham ne avval se paDhi hai ye kitaab aakhir tak
ham se puchhe koi hoti hai mohabbat kaisi

gul-o-gulchin kaa gila bulbul-e-khush-lahja na kar
tu giraftaar hui apni sadaa ke baais

farishte se baDh kar hai insaan bannaa
magar is mein lagti hai mehnat ziyaada

bil-aakhir thak haar ke yaaro ham ne bhi taslim kiyaa
apni zaat se ishq hai sachchaa baaqi sab afsaane hain

na paak hogaa kabhi husn o ishq kaa jhagDaa
vo qissa hai ye ki jis kaa koi gavaah nahin

shama bujh kar rah gai parvaana jal kar rah gayaa
yaadgaar-e-husn-o-ishq ik daagh dil par rah gayaa

hamaaraa ishq ravaan hai rukaavaTon mein 'zafar'
ye khvaab hai kisi divaar se nahin ruktaa

sau fasaad ek ishq mein uTThe
boyaa ik tukhm uge hazaar darakht

husn jalva dikhaa gayaa apnaa
ishq baiThaa rahaa udaas kahin