na jaane log Thaharte haiñ vaqt-e-shām kahāñ

hameñ to ghar meñ bhī rukne kā hauslā na huā

na jaane log Thaharte hain waqt-e-sham kahan

hamein to ghar mein bhi rukne ka hausla na hua

maiñ ab bhī raat ga.e us kī guuñj suntā huuñ

vo harf kam thā bahut kam magar sadā thā bahut

main ab bhi raat gae us ki gunj sunta hun

wo harf kam tha bahut kam magar sada tha bahut

ye kyā ki mujh ko chhupāyā hai merī nazroñ se

kabhī to mujh ko mire sāmne bhī laa.e vo

ye kya ki mujh ko chhupaya hai meri nazron se

kabhi to mujh ko mere samne bhi lae wo

zamāna apnī uryānī pe ḳhuuñ ro.egā kab tak

hameñ dekho ki apne aap ko oḌhe hue haiñ

zamana apni uryani pe KHun roega kab tak

hamein dekho ki apne aap ko oDhe hue hain

kise ḳhabar ki guhar kaise haath aate haiñ

samundaroñ se bhī gahrī hai ḳhāmushī merī

kise KHabar ki guhar kaise hath aate hain

samundaron se bhi gahri hai KHamushi meri

dekhā hai ye parchhā.īñ kī duniyā meñ ki aksar

apne qad-o-qāmat se bhī kuchh log baḌe haiñ

dekha hai ye parchhain ki duniya mein ki aksar

apne qad-o-qamat se bhi kuchh log baDe hain

tamām harf mire lab pe aa ke jam se ga.e

na jaane maiñ kahā kyā aur us ne samjhā kyā

tamam harf mere lab pe aa ke jam se gae

na jaane main kaha kya aur us ne samjha kya

bārhā ThiThkā huuñ ḳhud bhī apnā saaya dekh kar

log bhī katrā.e kyā kyā mujh ko tanhā dekh kar

barha ThiThka hun KHud bhi apna saya dekh kar

log bhi katrae kya kya mujh ko tanha dekh kar

Takrā ke sar ko apnā lahū aap chāTte

achchhā huā ki dasht meñ dīvār-o-dar na the

Takra ke sar ko apna lahu aap chaTte

achchha hua ki dasht mein diwar-o-dar na the

ai jaltī ruto gavāh rahnā

ham nañge paañv chal rahe haiñ

ai jalti ruto gawah rahna

hum nange panw chal rahe hain

mirī galī ke makīñ ye mire rafīq-e-safar

ye log vo haiñ jo chehre badalte rahte haiñ

meri gali ke makin ye mere rafiq-e-safar

ye log wo hain jo chehre badalte rahte hain

almārī meñ tasvīreñ rakhtā huuñ

ab bachpan aur buḌhāpā ek hue

almari mein taswiren rakhta hun

ab bachpan aur buDhapa ek hue

kisī se mujh ko gila kyā ki kuchh kahūñ 'aḳhtar'

ki merī zaat hī ḳhud rāste kā patthar hai

kisi se mujh ko gila kya ki kuchh kahun 'aKHtar'

ki meri zat hi KHud raste ka patthar hai

yahī din meñ Dhalegī raat 'aḳhtar'

yahī din kā ujālā raat hogā

yahi din mein Dhalegi raat 'aKHtar'

yahi din ka ujala raat hoga

maile kapḌoñ kā apnā rañg bhī thā

phir bhī qismat meñ jag-hañsā.ī thī

maile kapDon ka apna rang bhi tha

phir bhi qismat mein jag-hansai thi

maiñ apnī zaat kī tashrīh kartā phirtā thā

na jaane phir kahāñ āvāz kho ga.ī merī

main apni zat ki tashrih karta phirta tha

na jaane phir kahan aawaz kho gai meri

'aḳhtar' guzarte lamhoñ kī aahaT pe yuuñ na chauñk

is mātamī julūs meñ ik zindagī bhī hai

'aKHtar' guzarte lamhon ki aahaT pe yun na chaunk

is matami julus mein ek zindagi bhi hai

nikal kar aa ga.e haiñ jañgaloñ meñ

makāñ ko lā-makāñ karnā paḌā hai

nikal kar aa gae hain jangalon mein

makan ko la-makan karna paDa hai

ye kahīñ umr-e-guzishta to nahīñ tum to nahīñ

koī phirtā hai sar-e-shahr-e-vafā āvāra

ye kahin umr-e-guzishta to nahin tum to nahin

koi phirta hai sar-e-shahr-e-wafa aawara

ye sarguzisht-e-zamāna ye dāstān-e-hayāt

adhūrī baat meñ bhī rah ga.ī kamī merī

ye sarguzisht-e-zamana ye dastan-e-hayat

adhuri baat mein bhi rah gai kami meri

vo peḌ to nahīñ thā ki apnī jagah rahe

ham shāḳh to nahīñ the magar phir bhī kaT ga.e

wo peD to nahin tha ki apni jagah rahe

hum shaKH to nahin the magar phir bhi kaT gae

guzarte vaqt ne kyā kyā na chāra-sāzī kī

vagarna zaḳhm jo us ne diyā thā kaarī thā

guzarte waqt ne kya kya na chaara-sazi ki

wagarna zaKHm jo us ne diya tha kari tha

log nazroñ ko bhī paḌh lete haiñ

apnī āñkhoñ ko jhukā.e rakhnā

log nazron ko bhi paDh lete hain

apni aankhon ko jhukae rakhna

kab dhuup chalī shaam Dhalī kis ko ḳhabar hai

ik umr se maiñ apne hī saa.e meñ khaḌā huuñ

kab dhup chali sham Dhali kis ko KHabar hai

ek umr se main apne hi sae mein khaDa hun

zalzala aayā to dīvāroñ meñ dab jā.ūñgā

log bhī kahte haiñ ye ghar bhī Darātā hai mujhe

zalzala aaya to diwaron mein dab jaunga

log bhi kahte hain ye ghar bhi Daraata hai mujhe

sar pe tūfān bhī hai sāmne girdāb bhī hai

merī himmat ki vahī kachchā ghaḌā hai dekho

sar pe tufan bhi hai samne girdab bhi hai

meri himmat ki wahi kachcha ghaDa hai dekho

thī titliyoñ ke ta.āqub meñ zindagī merī

vo shahr kyā huā jis kī thī har galī merī

thi titliyon ke taaqub mein zindagi meri

wo shahr kya hua jis ki thi har gali meri

vo bhī sach kahte haiñ 'aḳhtar' log begāne hue

ham bhī sachche haiñ ki duniyā kā chalan aisā na thā

wo bhi sach kahte hain 'aKHtar' log begane hue

hum bhi sachche hain ki duniya ka chalan aisa na tha

kyā log haiñ ki dil kī girah kholte nahīñ

āñkhoñ se dekhte haiñ magar bolte nahīñ

kya log hain ki dil ki girah kholte nahin

aankhon se dekhte hain magar bolte nahin

vo kam-suḳhan thā magar aisā kam-suḳhan bhī na thā

ki sach hī boltā thā jab bhī boltā thā bahut

wo kam-suKHan tha magar aisa kam-suKHan bhi na tha

ki sach hi bolta tha jab bhi bolta tha bahut

jis qadar nīche utartā huuñ maiñ

jhiil bhī gahrī huī jaatī hai

jis qadar niche utarta hun main

jhil bhi gahri hui jati hai

shāyad apnā hī ta.āqub hai mujhe sadiyoñ se

shāyad apnā hī tasavvur liye jaatā hai mujhe

shayad apna hi taaqub hai mujhe sadiyon se

shayad apna hi tasawwur liye jata hai mujhe

kachche makān jitne the bārish meñ bah ga.e

varna jo merā dukh thā vo dukh umr bhar kā thā

kachche makan jitne the barish mein bah gae

warna jo mera dukh tha wo dukh umr bhar ka tha

vahī miTTī hai sab ke chehroñ par

aa.ina sab se bā-ḳhabar hai yahāñ

wahi miTTi hai sab ke chehron par

aaina sab se ba-KHabar hai yahan

havā meñ ḳhushbueñ merī pahchān ban ga.ī thiiñ

maiñ apnī miTTī se phuul ban kar ubhar rahā thā

hawa mein KHushbuen meri pahchan ban gai thin

main apni miTTi se phul ban kar ubhar raha tha

ḳhvāhisheñ ḳhuun meñ utrī haiñ sahīfoñ kī tarah

in kitāboñ meñ tire haath kī tahrīr bhī hai

KHwahishen KHun mein utri hain sahifon ki tarah

in kitabon mein tere hath ki tahrir bhi hai

chaman ke rañg-o-bū ne is qadar dhokā diyā mujh ko

ki maiñ ne shauq-e-gul-bosī meñ kāñToñ par zabāñ rakh dī

chaman ke rang-o-bu ne is qadar dhoka diya mujh ko

ki main ne shauq-e-gul-bosi mein kanTon par zaban rakh di

zindagī marg-e-talab tark-e-talab 'aḳhtar' na thī

phir bhī apne tāne-bāne meñ mujhe uljhā ga.ī

zindagi marg-e-talab tark-e-talab 'aKHtar' na thi

phir bhi apne tane-bane mein mujhe uljha gai

dhuup kī garmī se īñTeñ pak ga.iiñ phal pak ga.e

ik hamārā jism thā aḳhtar jo kachchā rah gayā

dhup ki garmi se inTen pak gain phal pak gae

ek hamara jism tha aKHtar jo kachcha rah gaya

kuchh mujhe bhī yahāñ qarār nahīñ

kuchh tirā ġham bhī dar-ba-dar hai yahāñ

kuchh mujhe bhi yahan qarar nahin

kuchh tera gham bhi dar-ba-dar hai yahan

purāne ḳhvāboñ se reza reza badan huā hai

ye chāhtā huuñ ki ab nayā koī ḳhvāb dekhūñ

purane KHwabon se reza reza badan hua hai

ye chahta hun ki ab naya koi KHwab dekhun

kuchh itne ho ga.e mānūs sannāToñ se ham 'aḳhtar'

guzartī hai girāñ apnī sadā bhī ab to kānoñ par

kuchh itne ho gae manus sannaTon se hum 'aKHtar'

guzarti hai giran apni sada bhi ab to kanon par

hameñ ḳhabar hai koī ham-safar na thā phir bhī

yaqīñ kī manzileñ tai kiiñ gumāñ ke hote hue

hamein KHabar hai koi ham-safar na tha phir bhi

yaqin ki manzilen tai kin guman ke hote hue

maiñ ne jo ḳhvāb abhī dekhā nahīñ hai 'aḳhtar'

merā har ḳhvāb usī ḳhvāb kī ta.abīr bhī hai

main ne jo KHwab abhi dekha nahin hai 'aKHtar'

mera har KHwab usi KHwab ki tabir bhi hai

vo shāyad koī sachchī baat kah de

use phir bad-gumāñ karnā paḌā hai

wo shayad koi sachchi baat kah de

use phir bad-guman karna paDa hai

ruuh kī gahrā.ī meñ paatā huuñ peshānī ke zaḳhm

sirf chāhā hī nahīñ maiñ ne use puujā bhī hai

ruh ki gahrai mein pata hun peshani ke zaKHm

sirf chaha hi nahin main ne use puja bhi hai

sailāb umañD ke shahar kī galiyoñ meñ aa ga.e

lekin ġharīb-e-shahr kā dāman na tar huā

sailab umanD ke shahar ki galiyon mein aa gae

lekin gharib-e-shahr ka daman na tar hua