Raat aur rail

phir chali hai rail station se lahraati hui
nim-shab ki KHamushi mein zer-e-lab gati hui

Dagmagati jhumti siTi bajati khelti
wadi o kohsar ki ThanDi hawa khati hui

tez jhonkon mein wo chham chham ka surud-e-dil-nashin
aandhiyon mein meinh barasne ki sada aati hui

jaise maujon ka tarannum jaise jal-pariyon ke git
ek ek lai mein hazaron zamzame gati hui

naunihaalon ko sunati miThi miThi loriyan
nazninon ko sunahre KHwab dikhlati hui

Thokaren kha kar lachakti gungunati jhumti
sarKHushi mein ghungruon ki tal par gati hui

naz se har moD par khati hui sau pech-o-KHam
ek dulhan apni ada se aap sharmati hui

raat ki tarikiyon mein jhilmilati kanpti
pTriyon par dur tak simab jhalkati hui

jaise aadhi raat ko nikli ho ek shahi baraat
shadyanon ki sada se wajd mein aati hui

muntashir kar ke faza mein ja-ba-ja chingariyan
daman-e-mauj-e-hawa mein phul barsati hui

tez-tar hoti hui manzil-ba-manzil dam-ba-dam
rafta rafta apna asli rup dikhlati hui

sina-e-kohsar par chaDhti hui be-iKHtiyar
ek nagan jis tarah masti mein lahraati hui

ek sitara TuT kar jaise rawan ho arsh se
rifat-e-kohsar se maidan mein aati hui

ek bagule ki tarah baDhti hui maidan mein
jangalon mein aandhiyon ka zor dikhlati hui

rasa-bar-andam karti anjum-e-shab-tab ko
aashiyan mein tair-e-wahshi ko chaunkati hui

yaad aa jae purane dewtaon ka jalal
un qayamat-KHeziyon ke sath bal khati hui

ek raKHsh-e-be-inan ki barq-raftari ke sath
KHandaqon ko phandti Tilon se katraati hui

murgh-zaron mein dikhati ju-e-shirin ka KHiram
wadiyon mein abr ke manind manDlati hui

ek pahaDi par dikhati aabshaaron ki jhalak
ek bayaban mein charagh-e-tur dikhlati hui

justuju mein manzil-e-maqsud ki diwana-war
apna sar dhunti faza mein baal bikhraati hui

chheDti ek wajd ke aalam mein saz-e-sarmadi
ghaiz ke aalam mein munh se aag barsati hui

rengti muDti machalti tilmilati hanpti
apne dil ki aatish pinhan ko bhaDkati hui

KHud-ba-KHud ruThi hui biphri hui bikhri hui
shor-e-paiham se dil-e-giti ko dhaDkati hui

pul pe dariya ke dama-dam kaundti lalkarti
apni is tufan-angezi pe itraati hui

pesh karti bich naddi mein charaghan ka saman
sahilon par ret ke zarron ko chamkati hui

munh mein ghusti hai surangon ke yakayak dauD kar
dandanati chiKHti chinghaDti gati hui

aage aage justuju-amez nazren Dalti
shab ke haibatnak nazzaron se ghabraati hui

ek mujrim ki tarah sahmi hui simTi hui
ek muflis ki tarah sardi mein tharraati hui

Tez-e-raftar ke sikke jamati ja-ba-ja
dasht o dar mein zindagi ki lahar dauDati hui

Dal kar guzre manazir par andhere ka naqab
ek naya manzar nazar ke samne lati hui

safha-e-dil se miTati ahd-e-mazi ke nuqush
haal o mustaqbil ke dilkash KHwab dikhlati hui

Dalti be-his chaTanon par haqarat ki nazar
koh par hansti falak ko aankh dikhlati hui

daman-e-tariki-e-shab ki uDati dhajjiyan
qasr-e-zulmat par musalsal tir barsati hui

zad mein koi chiz aa jae to us ko pis kar
irtiqa-e-zindagi ke raaz batlati hui

zoam mein peshani-e-sahra pe Thokar marti
phir subuk-raftariyon ke naz dikhlati hui

ek sarkash fauj ki surat alam khole hue
ek tufani garaj ke sath Daraati hui

ek ek harkat se andaz-e-baghawat aashkar
azmat-e-insaiyat ke zamzame gati hui

har qadam par top ki si ghan-garaj ke sath sath
goliyon ki sansanahaT ki sada aati hui

wo hawa mein saikaDon jangi duhal bajte hue
wo bigul ki jaan-fazan aawaz lahraati hui

al-gharaz uDti chali jati hai be-KHauf-o-KHatar
shair-e-atish-nafas ka KHun khaulati hui