wo ajeeb subh e bahar thi

ko sehr sey noha giri rahi

wo ajeeb subh bahar thi

ke sehr sey noha giri rahi

meri bastyan theen dhuan dhuan

mery ghar mein aag bhari rahi

mery rastey they lahu lahu

mera qarya qarya fagar tha

ye kaf e hwa pe zamin thi

wo falak ke musht e ghubar tha

kai abshar sey jism they

ko jo qatra qatra pighar gaey

kai khush jamal tlism they

jinhen gird bad nigal gaey

koi khwab nok sana pe tha

koi arzu tah e sang thi

koi phool abla abla

koi shakh marqad rang thi

kai lapata meri la'batin

jo kisi taraf ki na ho sakin

jo na aney walo key sath theen

jo na janey walo ko ro saken

kahin tarsaz sey kat gai

kisi matraba ki rag gulu

mae atisheen mein wo zehr tha

ke trkh gaey qadah wa saboo

koi nay nawaz tha dam bkhud

ke nafs sey hiddat jan gai

koi sar ba zano tha ba'rubd

ke sada e dost kahan gai

kahin naghmagi mein wo bane they

ke sama'aton ney suney nahi

kahin goonjtey they wo marsiye

ke Anees ne bhi kahe nahi

ye jo sang rezon ke dher hein

yahan motiyon ki dukan thi

ye jo saebaan dhuwen ke hien

yahan badalon ki uraan thi

jahan roshni hai khandar khandar

yahan qumqumon sey jawan they

jahan chyutian huin khaima zan

yahan jugnu'oon key makan they

kahin abgeena khayal ka

ke jo karb zabt sey choor tha

kahin aeena kisi yaad ka

ke jo aks yaar sey door tha

mery bismilon ki qana'atein

jo barhaein zulm key hosley

mery abu'oon ka chakeeda khoon

jo shikaryon ko suragh dey

meri adal gahon ki maslehat

mery qatilon ki wakeel hai

mery khanqahon ki manzilat

meri buzdili ki daleel hai

mery ahl e harf o sukhn sara

jo gadagaro me badal gaey

mery ham safeer they heela juu

kisi aur simt nikal gaey

kai fakhtaon ki chaal mein

mujhe kargason ka chalan laga

kai chaand bhi they syah ruu

kai soorajon ko gehen laga

koi tajir hasab o nasb

koi deen farosh qadeem hai

yahan kafash bar bhi imam hen

yahan naat khwan bhi kaleem hai

koi fikr mand kulah ka

koi daawa dar quba ka hai

wohi ehl dil bhi hein zeb e tan

jo libas ahl e raya ka hai

mery pasban, mery naqab zan

mera mulk milk yateen hai

mera dais meer sipah ka

mera sheher mal e ghaneem hai

jo rawish hai sahib e takht ki

so msahibon ka tareeq hai

yahan kotwal bhi duzd shab

yahan sheikh deen bhi fareeq hai

yahan sab key nirkh juda juda

esey mol lo esey tol do

jo talab kare koi khoon baha

tuu dahan khazaney key khol do

wo jo sarkashi ka ho mutakab

esey qumchyon sey zuboon karo

jahan khalq shehr ho mushtail

esey golyon sy nigoon karo

magar aisey aisey ghani bhi they

esi qehet zar damishq mein

jinhen kuey yaar aziz tha

jo kharey they maqtal ishq mein

koi bankpan mein tha koh kan

tuu junoon mein Qais sa tha koi

jo surahiyan lye jism ki

mae naab khoon sey bhari hui

they sada balb ke pyo pyo

ye sabeel ahl wafa ki hai

ye nasheed nosh e badan karo

ye kasheed tak e wafa ki hai

koi tashna lab hi na tha yahan

jo pukarta ke idher udher

sabhi muft bar they tamasha hein

koi bazm mein koi baam par

sabhi be hisi key khumaar mein

sabhi apney haal mein mast they

sabhi rahrawan e rah e adam

magar apney zo'om mein bast they

so lahu k jaam undel kar

mery janfarosh chale gaey

wo sukoot tha sar mae kada

ke wo kham badosh chaley gaey

koi mahbason mein rasan ba pa

koi maqtalon mein dareeda tan

na kisi key haath mein shakh ney

na kisi ky lab pe gul sukhun

isi arsa shab taar mein

yunhi ek umr guzar gai

kabhi roz wasl bhi dekhtey

ye jo arzoo thi wo mar gai

yahan roz hashar bapa hue

pe koi bhi roz jaza nahi

yahan zindagi bhi azaab hai

yahan mot bhi shafa nahi

(Ahmad Faraz)