Hitch-hiker

main ki do roz ka mehman tere shahr mein tha
ab chala hun to koi faisla kar bhi na saka

zindagi ki ye ghaDi TuTta pul ho jaise
ki Thahar bhi na sakun aur guzar bhi na sakun

mehrban hain teri aankhen magar ai munis-e-jaan
in se har zaKHm-e-tamanna to nahin bhar sakta

aisi be-nam masafat ho to manzil kaisi
koi basti ho basera hi nahin kar sakta

ek muddat hui laila-e-watan se bichhDe
ab bhi riste hain magar zaKHm purane mere

jab se sarsar mere gulshan mein chali hai tab se
barg-e-awara ki manind Thikane mere

aaj is shahr kal us shahr ka rasta lena
hae kya chiz gharib-ul-watani hoti hai

ye safar itna musalsal hai ki thak haar ke bhi
baiTh jata hun jahan chhanw ghani hoti hai

tu bhi aisa hi dil-aram shajar hai jis ne
mujh ko is dasht-e-qayamat se bachae rakha

ek aashufta-sar o aabla-pa ki KHatir
kabhi zulfon kabhi palkon ko bichhae rakha

dukh to har waqt taaqub mein raha karte hain
yun panahon mein kahan tak koi rah sakta hai

kab talak ret ki diwar sambhaale koi
wo thakan hai ki mera jism bhi Dah sakta hai

ajnabi log nae log parai galiyan
zindagi aaise qarain mein kaTegi kaise

teri chahat bhi muqaddas teri qurbat bhi bahisht
des paradesh ki tafriq ghaTegi kaise

na-guzir aaj hua jaise bichhaDna apna
kal kisi roz mulaqat bhi imkan mein hai

main ye pairahan-e-jaan kaise badal sakta hun
ki tera hath mere dil ke gareban mein hai