jhuTi ummid ki ungli ko pakaDnaa chhoDo — Salman Akhtar

jhaankte raat ke garebaan se
ham ne sau aaftaab dekhe hain

ye alag baat ki vo mujh se khafaa rahtaa hai
main ik insaan huun aur mujh mein khudaa rahtaa hai

ham jo pahle kahin mile hote
aur hi apne silsile hote

zindagi is qadar kaThin kyuun hai
aadmi ki bhalaa khataa kyaa hai

kuchh to apne liye bhi rakhnaa hai
zakhm auron ko kyuun dikhaaein sab

kaise ho kyaa hai haal mat puchho
mujh se mushkil savaal mat puchho

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

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

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

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

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