Ek jal-thal thi kal tak ye zamin ye dasht bhi kal tak dariya the

ek jal-thal thi kal tak ye zamin ye dasht bhi kal tak dariya the
ye shor tha kal ek sannaTa ye shahar bhi kal tak sahra the

aaghaz apna wahshat basri anjam apna shorida-sari
hum aaj bhi hain badnam bahut hum kal bhi nihayat ruswa the

tanhai-e-zat ka saya hai tanhai apna wirsa hai
hum aaj bhi hain tanha tanha hum kal bhi tanha tanha the

mazi ke KHarabon mein bhi kahin lau deta raha suraj apna
mazi ke KHarabon mein bhi hum ek KHwab-e-jahan-farda the

apna hi to hai shahkar-e-amal tahzib ka ye zindan 'akbar'
hum aaj hain shahron ke qaidi kal tak aawara-e-sahra the