Tanhai Mein

mere shanon pe tera sar tha nigahen namnak

ab to ek yaad si baqi hai so wo bhi kya hai?

ghir gaya zehn gham-e-zist ke andazon mein

sar hatheli pe dhare soch raha hun baiTha

kash is waqt koi pir-e-KHamida aa kar

kisi aazurda tabiat ka fasana kahta!

ek dhundalka sa hai dam toD chuka hai suraj

din ke daman pe hain dhabbe se riya-kari ke

aur maghrib ki fana-gah mein phaila hua KHun

dabta jata hai siyahi ki tahon ke niche

dur talab ke nazdik wo sukhi si babul

chand TuTe hue viran makanon se pare

hath phailae barhana si khaDi hai KHamosh

jaise ghurbat mein musafir ko sahaara na mile

us ke pichhe se jhijakta hua ek gol sa chand

ubhra be-nur shuaon ke safine ko liye

main abhi soch raha hun ki agar tu mil jae

zindagi go hai giran-bar pa itni na rahe

chand aansu gham-e-giti ke liye, chand nafas

ek ghao hai jise yun hi siye jate hain

main agar ji bhi raha hun to tajjub kya hai

mujh se lakhon hain jo ba-sud jiye jate hain

koi markaz hi nahin mere taKHayyul ke liye

is se kya faeda jite rahe aur ji na sake

ab irada hai ki patthar ke sanam pujunga

taki ghabraun to Takra bhi sakun mar bhi sakun

aise insanon se patthar ke sanam achchhe hain

un ke qadmon pe machalta ho damakta hua KHun

aur wo meri mohabbat pe kabhi hans na sakin

main bhi be-rang nigahon ki shikayat na karun

ya kahin gosha-e-ahram ke sannaTe mein

ja ke KHwabida farain se itna puchhun

har zamane mein kai the ki KHuda ek hi tha

ab to itne hain ki hairan hun kis ko pujun?

ab to maghrib ki fana-gah mein wo sog nahin

aks-e-tahrir hai ek raat ka halka halka

aur pur-soz dhundalke se wahi gol sa chand

apni be-nur shuaon ka safina kheta

ubhra namnak nigahon se mujhe takta hua

jaise khul kar mere aansu mein badal jaega

hath phailae idhar dekh rahi hai wo babul

sochti hogi koi mujh sa hai ye bhi tanha

aaina ban ke shab o roz taka karta hai

kaisa talab hai jo is ko hara kar na saka?

yun guzare se guzar jaenge din apne bhi

par ye hasrat hi rahegi ki guzare na gae

KHun pi pi ke pala karti hai angur ki bel

gar yahi rang-e-tamanna tha chalo yunhi sahi

KHun piti rahi baDhti rahi konpal konpal

chhanw taron ki shagufon ko numu deti rahi

narm shaKHon ko thapakte rahe ayyam ke hath

yunhi din bit gae subh hui sham hui

ab magar yaad nahin kya tha maal-e-ummid

ek tahrir hai halki si lahu ki baqi

bel phalti hai to kanTon ko chhupa leti hai

zindagi apni pareshan thi pareshan hi rahi

chahta ye tha mere zaKHm ke angur bandhen

ye na chaha tha mera jam tahi rah jae!

hath phailae idhar dekh rahi hai wo babul

sochti hogi koi mujh sa hai ye bhi tanha

ghir gaya zehn gham-e-zist ke andazon mein

kaisa talab hai jo is ko hara kar na saka

kash is waqt koi pir-e-KHamida aakar

mere shanon ko thapakta gham-e-tanhai mein