ab jo lahar hai pal bhar baad nahin hogi yaani — Saleem Kausar

qurbatein hote hue bhi faaslon mein qaid hain
kitni aazaadi se ham apni hadon mein qaid hain

intizaar aur dastakon ke darmiyaan kaTti hai umr
itni aasaani se to baab-e-hunar khultaa nahin

main kisi ke dast-e-talab mein huun to kisi ke harf-e-duaa mein huun
main nasib huun kisi aur kaa mujhe maangtaa koi aur hai

vaqt ruk ruk ke jinhein dekhtaa rahtaa hai 'salim'
ye kabhi vaqt ki raftaar huaa karte the

saae gali mein jaagte rahte hain raat bhar
tanhaaiyon ki oT se jhaankaa na kar mujhe

aaina khud bhi sanvartaa thaa hamaari khaatir
ham tire vaaste tayyaar huaa karte the

mujid jo nuur kaa hai vo meraa charaagh hai
parvaana huun main anjuman-e-kaaenaat kaa

meraa shor-e-gharqaabi khatm ho gayaa aakhir
aur rah gayaa baaqi sirf shor dariyaa kaa

pistaan ko tere dekh ke miT jaae phir hubaab
dariyaa mein taa-ba-sina agar tu nahaae subh

lab-e-dariyaa pe dekh aa kar tamaashaa aaj holi kaa
bhanvar kaale ke daf baaje hai mauj ai yaar paani mein

bahtaa huun main dariyaa ki ravaani se kahin duur
ik pyaas mujhe laai thi paani se kahin duur

qatre ki juraton ne sadaf se liyaa khiraaj
dariyaa samundaron mein mile aur mar gae