To behtar hai yahi

ye teri aankhon ki be-zari ye lahje ki thakan
kitne andeshon ki hamil hain ye dil ki dhaDkanen

pesh-tar is ke ki hum phir se muKHalif samt ko
be-KHuda-hafiz kahe chal den jhuka kar gardanen

aao us dukh ko pukaren jis ki shiddat ne hamein
is qadar ek dusre ke gham se wabasta kiya

wo jo tanhai ka dukh tha talKH mahrumi ka dukh
jis ne hum ko dard ke rishte mein paiwasta kiya

wo jo is gham se ziyaada jaan-gusil qatil raha
wo jo ek sail-e-bala-angez tha apne liye

jis ke pal pal mein the sadiyon ke samundar maujzan
chiKHti yaaden liye ujDe hue sapne liye

main bhi nakaam-e-wafa tha to bhi mahrum-e-murad
hum ye samjhe the ki dard-e-mushtarak ras aa gaya

teri khoi muskurahaT qahqahon mein Dhal gai
mera gum-gashta sukun phir se mere pas aa gaya

tapti do-pahron mein aasuda hue bazu mere
teri zulfen is tarah bikhrin ghaTaen ho gain

tera barfila badan be-saKHta lau de uTha
meri sansen sham ki bhigi hawaen ho gain

zindagi ki saaten raushan thin shamon ki tarah
jis tarah se sham guzre jugnuon ke shahr mein

jis tarah mahtab ki wadi mein do sae rawan
jis tarah ghunghru chhanak uTThen nashe ki lahr mein

aao ye sochen bhi qatil hain to behtar hai yahi
phir se hum apne purane zahr ko amrit kahen

tu agar chahe to hum ek dusre ko chhoD kar
apne apne be-wafaon ke liye rote rahen