Qissa-e-shab

surKH aankhen ghumate hue bheDiye raat ka husn hain
sarsaraate hue shaKHchon mein chhupe manda panchhi

musalle pe baiThe hue rish-dar ahl-e-baatin
pinghuDe mein kilkarte nur chehre

ye bistar badalti hui laDkiyan
zahr ugalte hue sanp

diwar par jast karte hue sae
laDti hui billiyan

raat ka husn hain
apne sar par ye sadiyon se phaila hua be-mah-o-najm gardun

sar-e-sham rang apna tabdil karta hai to raat ka aaina jagta hai
andheron bhare aaine mein sadaen hain, surat nahin

samea shakl tartib deta hai
sunte hue jagmagate hain aawaz ke KHal-o-KHad

main ne sargoshiyon qahqahon manzilon aahaTon
aur aahon mein dekha hai husn

ek pairae mein sar uThati hain ghurrahTen, wasl-asar sansen
ye palken jo aahista aahista Dhalne lagi hain

shafaq jo andhere mein ghulne lagi hai
yahi raat ka husn hai

raat aankhon mein hai