ahl-e-khirad ko aaj bhi apne yaqin ke liye — 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

uThaa hi laayaa sabhi raaste vo kaandhon par
yaqin us pe na kartaa to main kidhar jaataa

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

nahin nahin main bahut khush rahaa huun tere baghair
yaqin kar ki ye haalat abhi abhi hui hai

ab to is raah se vo shakhs guzartaa bhi nahin
ab kis ummid pe darvaaze se jhaanke koi

ek ummid ke sahaare par
kitni taakhir dekh lete hain

itnaa bhi naa-umid dil-e-kam-nazar na ho
mumkin nahin ki shaam-e-alam ki sahar na ho