Raat sunsan hai

mez chup-chap ghaDi band kitaben KHamosh
apne kamre ki udasi pe taras aata hai

mera kamra jo mere dil ki har ek dhaDkan ko
sal-ha-sal se chup-chap gine jata hai

johd-e-hasti ki kaDi dhup mein thak jaane par
jis ki aaghosh ne baKHsha hai mujhe man ka KHulus

jis ki KHamosh inayat ki suhani yaaden
loriyan ban ke mere dil mein sama jati hain

meri tanhai ke ehsas ko zail karne
jis ki diwaren mere pas chali aati hain

samne taq pe rakkhi hui do taswiren
aksar auqat mujhe pyar se yun takti hain

jaise main dur kisi des ka shahzada hun
mera kamra mere mazi ka haqiqi munis

aaj har fikr har ehsas se begana hai
apne hamraaz kiwaDon ke ahate ke ewaz

aaj main jaise mazaron pe chala aaya hun
gard-aluda calendar pe ajanta ke nuqush

mere chehre ki lakiron ki taraf dekhte hain
jaise ek lash ki phaili hui be-bas aankhen

apne majbur azizon ko taka karti hain
ye kitaben bhi mera sath nahin detin aaj

'keats' ki nazm 'arastu' ke hakimana qaul
sang-marmar ki imarat ki tarah sakit hain

tu hi kuchh baat kar ai mere dhaDakte hue dil
tu hi ek mera sahaara hai mera munis hai

tu hi is sard andhere mein charaghan kar de
laxmi-dewi to meri baat nahin sun saktin

mujh ko malum hai kya bit chuki hai tujh par
mere chehre ke sulagte hue zaKHmon ko bhi dekh

meri aankhon pe meri fikr pe pabandi hai
main use chahun bhi to yaad nahin kar sakta

tu use kho ke machal sakta hai ro sakta hai
aur main luT ke bhi fariyaad nahin kar sakta

isi aaine ne dekhe hain hamare jhagDe
yahi zina hai jahan main ne use chuma tha

in qamizon mein in uljhe hue rumalon mein
us ke baalon ki mahak aaj bhi aasuda hai

jo kabhi meri thi inkar pe bhi meri thi
ab faqat bazm-e-tasawwur mein nazar aati hai

raat bhar jag ke likkhi hui tahriron se
ab bhi un aankhon ki taswir ubhar aati hai

chandni khul ke nikhar aai hai darwaze par
os se bhigte jate hain purane gamle

kis qadar narm hai kaliyon ka suhana saya
jaise wo honT jinhen pa ke bhi main pa na saka

ai taDapte hue dil aur sambhal aur sambhal
ye teri chap se jag uTThengi to kya hoga

subh kya jaane kahan hoti hai kab hoti hai
jaane insan ne kis waqt ye neamat pai

meri qismat mein bas ek silsila-e-sham-o-sahar
mere kamre ke muqaddar mein faqat tanhai