Ab jo dekhen to koi aesi barri baat na thi..

Ab jo dekhen to koi aesi barri baat na thi,
Yeh shab-o-roz, maah-o-saal ka pur-paich safar,
Qadrey asaan bhi ho sakta tha,
Yeh jo har morr pe kuch uljhe huye raste hain,
In main tarteeb ka imkaan bhi ho sakta tha,
Hum zara dheyaan se chalte to woh ghar,
Jis ke baam-o-dar-o-deewar pe veerani hai,
Jiss ki har subah main shaamon ki pareshaani hai,
Uss main hum chain se abaad bhi ho sakte they,

Bakht se amman ki raahen bhi nikal sakti theen,
Waqt se sulaah ka paimaan bhi ho sakta tha,
Ab jo dekhen to bohat saaf nazar aatey hain,
Saarey manzar bhi, pass-e-manzar bhi,
Lekin iss dair khayaali ka silaah kya hoga,

Yeh to sab baad ki baaten hain meri jaan,
Inhe dekhte sochte rehne se bhala kya hoga,
Woh jo hona tha hua, ho bhi chuka,
Waqt ki lohh pe likhi hui har tehreer ke harff,
Khat-e-tanseekh se waaqif hi nahin,
Bakht maktab ke register ki tarah hota hai,
Apne number pe jo labaikk nahin keh paatey,
Unka kuch uzzr nahin, koi bhi fariyaad nahin,

Yeh woh taayer hain jinhe apni nawaah yaad nahin,
Linain kat’ti rahin, lafz badalne ke sabbab,
Koi tehreer musalssal nahin hone paayi,
Haasil-e-umar yehi channd adhoorey haakay,
Koi tasveer mukammal nahin hone paayi,
Ab jo dekhen to koi aesi barri baat na thi…