ye aur baat ki 'akhtar' haveliyaan na rahin — Sultan Akhtar

ik khauf-e-be-panaah hai aankhon ke aar-paar
taarikiyon mein Dubtaa lamha hai saamne

safar safar mire qadmon se jagmagaayaa huaa
taraf taraf hai miri khaak-e-justuju raushan

main vo sahraa jise paani ki havas le Duubi
tu vo baadal jo kabhi TuuT ke barsaa hi nahin

fursat mein rahaa karte hain fursat se zyaada
masruf hain ham log zarurat se zyaada

hamaari saada-mizaaji pe rashk karte hain
vo saada-posh jo be-intihaa rangile hain

saamne aankhon ke phir yakh-basta manzar aaegaa
dhuup jam jaaegi aangan mein december aaegaa

hai kyaa jo kas ke baandhiye meri balaa Dare
kyaa jaantaa nahin huun tumhaari kamar ko main

ye bastiyaan hain andher-nagri mein rahne vaali
ye log vo hain jo raushni se Dare hue hain

khauf hai dhund bhari raat hai tanhaai hai
mere kamre mein abhi raat hai tanhaai hai

ye miraa shahr ki jiine nahin detaa mujh ko
ab tiraa naam bhi lete hue Dar lagtaa hai

tire visaal ki raanaaiyon se Dartaa huun
mujhe to hijr ke aadaab bhi nahin maalum

ajnabi shahr mein kuchh khauf saa mahsus huaa
oDh li main ne khamoshi se utaari hui raat