Taaqub apne ham-zad ka

chhoD aaya hun main apna chhoTa sa ghar
taaqub karta hai wo ab mera umr bhar

jangal kinare parbaton ke tale
hari-bhari wadiyon mein

jahan bahte the barsati parnale
chhoD aaya hun main apna chhoTa sa ghar

had-e-nigah tak wo KHushnuma manzar
baadalon ki oT se pahaDi nazare

bijli ki chamak baadal ki garaj
kabhi chhat Tapakti thi to kabhi hilti thin diwaren

kitab copiyon ko sine mein chhupana
sard hawa ke jhonkon se charagh ka TimTimana

wo tera masum chehra
wo tera bhigi palkon se muskurana

wo aazmaish ki kali raaten wo imtihanon ka Dar
chhoD aaya hun main apna chhoTa sa ghar

hafize mein dafn hai jis ka ab bhi wo manzar
maTmaili si thin jis ki diwaren

surKH tha jis ka chhappar
jangle ki kamzor salaKHon se

aankhon mein aansu liye
ek laDka dekha karta tha

qaumi shah-rah ka manzar
jahan se diwana-war bason aur trakon ka karwan

bhagta dauDta rahta tha baDe shahron ki samt
han baDe shahron ki samt

jin ki KHud lapata thin samten!!
aaj chaalis sal baad wo laDka sochta hai

baDa shahr sarab hai sunahri hiran ka KHwab hai
baDe shahr ki chah mein dauDte dauDte

wo be-samt be-manzar be-ghar ho gaya hai
lekin phir kabhi kabhi use ehsas hota hai

us ki bhi apni asas hai
us ka suhana manzar is ke pas hai

us ka bhi apna ghar hai
wo chhoTa sa ghar wo maTmaili diwaren

wo surKH chhappar
jahan aashna nigahen

jahan mohabbat-amez bahen
aaj bhi us ka intizar kar rahi hain

is shahr ko chhoD kar ek din wo chala jaega
wahan se phir kabhi kahin bhi nahin jaega