Wo Aalam KHwab Ka Tha

wo aalam KHwab ka tha

so rahe the sab

magar ek wo

akela jag uTha tha

kuchh aise nind TuTi thi

ki har har uzw be-kal tha

badan sara

taghayyur ki talab mein

mahi-be-ab ki surat taDapta tha

junun-o-be-qarari ne

ragon mein bijliyan bhar din

hazaron sal se rakkhe hue patthar ko sarkaya

wo apne ghaar se bahar nikal aaya

nigahen raushni se chaar ho kar jun hi palTin

us ne KHud ko

zindagi se wasl ke imkan mein paya

bahut lamba bahut dushwar rasta tai kiya us ne

na jaane kitne dariya koh-o-sahra darmiyan aae

tilism-o-haft-KHwan aae

tab us shahr-e-buland-o-baala-o-pur-kaif mein pahuncha

jahan insan aur haiwan sab bedar rahte the

baDe be-KHar hote the

zaban thi sukh ke kanTa

papoTe phul ke kuppa

ki us par jagte rahne ka aisa shauq ghaalib tha

badan wahshat ka talib tha

magar ye kya

use malum ye kab tha

zara jo muKHtalif ho

shahr-e-bedaran mein us par kya guzarti hai

dukanen jin ki unchi thin

use muKHbir samajhte the

jo masha-KHor the pheri lagate the

use pagal batate the

wahan bazar mein koi use kuchh bhi na deta tha

jo sikke pas the us ke unhen koi na leta tha

wo wapas ja na sakta tha

KHuda-e-lam-yazal ke hukm se

us ghaar ka munh band tha phir se

ajab be-yawari na-ashnai thi

saza mahz us ne

aankh khul jaane ki pai thi