Baghdad

hasan jis shahr mein
tu gili miTTi se

kabhi kuze banata tha
tujhe is shahr mein miTTi nahin

ab sar milenge
hazaron KHasta-tan

lashon se rista KHun
tere shahr ki miTTi ko

yun sairab karta hai
ki ab jo tu kabhi

miTTi se khelega
to har kuza surahi jam-o-mina

lahu ke rang ke honge
teri naqsh-o-nigari

aur tere hathon ki sannai
na in kuzon ko baKHshegi wo hairat

wo nudrat aur wo naqqashi
jo bas tera hi hissa thi

wo is miTTi ki sondhi tez KHushbu
purane KHun ki badbu mein mil kar

aisi badli hai
tujhe mahsus hoga

tu kisi marghaT mein baiTha hai
tujhe dajla ka wo shaffaf pani yaad hai kya

wo jis se tere kuzon ki ziya thi
wo jis se pyas bujhti thi

tere sukhe badan ki
wo dajla surKH hai

masum bachchon ke lahu se
hasan ata yusuf ki dukan ke samne

kal bam phaTa tha
na jaane kitne kuza-gar mare

jin ke gharon mein
isi miTTi ke pyale hain magar KHali

taDapti bhuk hai aur lab sawali
na jaane kitne kari-gar mare

ab kaun ginta hai
hasan is shahr mein ab koi marjina nahin hai

na duniya-zad, na hasib karimuddin ka ghar hai
ajaib-ghar hain na wo dars-gahen

kutub-KHanon mein lashkar so rahe hain
koi zinda nahin is shahr mein

bas maut zinda hai
hasan tu mujh se wada kar

ki chahe kuchh bhi ho jae
palaT kar is shahr mein

phir kabhi wapas na aaega