zinda koi kahaan thaa ki sadqa utaartaa — Kabir Ajmal

zamir o zehn mein ik sard jang jaari hai
kise shikast duun aur kis pe fath paaun main

vo mere khvaab churaa kar bhi khush nahin 'ajmal'
vo ek khvaab lahu mein jo phail jaanaa thaa

kyuun baam pe aavaazon kaa dhammaal hai 'ajmal'
is ghar pe to aaseb kaa saaya bhi nahin hai

kahte hain ki uThne ko hai ab rasm-e-mohabbat
aur is ke sivaa koi tamaashaa bhi nahin hai

ye gham miraa hai to phir ghair se ilaaqa kyaa
mujhe hi apni tamannaa kaa baar Dhone de

kis se main un kaa Thikaanaa puchhtaa
saamne khaali makaan thaa aur main

ye aansu ponchh lijiye aur muskuraaiye
chaara nahin hai koi bhi rukhsat kiye baghair

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

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

ham haal to kah sakte hain apnaa pa kahein kyaa
jab vo idhar aate hain to tanhaa nahin aate

husn jalva dikhaa gayaa apnaa
ishq baiThaa rahaa udaas kahin

main ne apni palkon par gham-kade sajaae hain
aarzu ke maatam mein sogvaar hasti hai