ik jang thi vo garmi-e-guftaar nahin thi — Rauf Khalish

utro khud apni zaat ki gahraai mein 'khalish'
ubhre jo apne-aap ko paane ki aarzu

jazb kar ke rakh lenaa dastakein hatheli mein
jab se main safar mein huun ham-safar hain darvaaze

guzarte vaqt ke aasaar kaun chhoD gayaa
zamaane Tal gae lekin aTal rahe hain sutun

bikharte khvaabon se taabir ke dhundlakon tak
muhaajrat ne kachoke bahut lagaae hain

jis tanaazur mein bhi dekho khush-jamaalon ko 'khalish'
zaaviya bigDaa nazar kaa saare bigDe zaaviye

zakhmon ko phuul kar de tanhaaiyon ko marham
sau qurbaton pe bhaari hijrat kaa ek mausam

barseingi aaj rahmatein aamad hai yaar ki
naayaab hain ye ghaDiyaan tire intizaar ki

yaar bhi raah ki divaar samajhte hain mujhe
main samajhtaa thaa mire yaar samajhte hain mujhe

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

hazaar baar havaaon se dushmani hogi
bas ek baar charaaghon se dosti ke liye

shahr talab kare agar tum se ilaaj-e-tiragi
saahab-e-ikhtiyaar ho aag lagaa diyaa karo

main shar ki sharaarat se to hoshyaar huun lekin
allaah bachaae to bachun khair ke shar se