ghaalib ka postmortem

ek din 'ġhālib' ke paḌh kar sher merī ahliya

mujh se bolī aap to kahte the in ko auliyā

āshiq-e-bint-e-enab ko aap kahte haiñ valī

fāqa-mastī meñ bhī har dam kar rahā hai mai-kashī

pūjne se mah-jabīnoñ ke ye baaz aatā nahīñ

aur phir kāfir kahe jaane se sharmātā nahīñ

koī bhī mahvash akele meñ agar aa jaa.e haath

chheḌḳhvānī kar diyā kartā thā aksar us ke saath

bad-gumānī kā agar mahbūb kī hotā na Dar

us ke pairoñ kā vo bosa letā rahtā raat bhar

koī rakhtā thā agar us se zarā sharm-o-hijāb

ro.ab dikhlāne ko us se kah diyā karte janāb

''ham se khul jaao ba-vaqt-e-mah-parastī ek din

varna ham chheḌeñge rakh kar uzr-e-mastī ek din

gar kisī mehmān ke aane kī hotī thī ḳhabar

boriyā tak bhī nahīñ hotā thā us nañge ke ghar

is liye chhā.ī huī thī us ke ghar meñ muflisī

kal ke Dar se aaj piine meñ na kartā thā kamī

mai-kashī ko gar koī saaqī nahīñ detā thā jaam

ok se pī kar hī vo apnā chalā letā thā kaam

marte marte bhī sharāb us kī na ho paa.ī thī kam

jaam ko taktā rahā jab tak rahā āñkhoñ meñ dam

us ke is kirdār par mujh se na karnā guftugū

ḳhaak meñ jis ne milā dī ḳhāndānī aabrū

is qadar pahuñche hue shā.er kā ye kirdār hai

sher kahnā chhoḌ diije shā.erī be-kār hai

is se pahle ki mirā barbād ho jaa.e ye ghar

aap bas ghar meñ raheñ sher-o-adab ko chhoḌ kar

mai-kashī aur aap hoñ matlūb-o-tālib kī tarah

sochtī huuñ aap ho jaa.eñ na 'ġhālib' kī tarah

ek din 'ghaalib' ke paDh kar sher meri ahliya

mujh se boli aap to kahte the in ko auliya

aashiq-e-bint-e-enab ko aap kahte hain wali

faqa-masti mein bhi har dam kar raha hai mai-kashi

pujne se mah-jabinon ke ye baz aata nahin

aur phir kafir kahe jaane se sharmata nahin

koi bhi mahwash akele mein agar aa jae hath

chheDKHwani kar diya karta tha aksar us ke sath

bad-gumani ka agar mahbub ki hota na Dar

us ke pairon ka wo bosa leta rahta raat bhar

koi rakhta tha agar us se zara sharm-o-hijab

roab dikhlane ko us se kah diya karte janab

ham se khul jao ba-waqt-e-mah-parasti ek din

warna hum chheDenge rakh kar uzr-e-masti ek din

gar kisi mehman ke aane ki hoti thi KHabar

boriya tak bhi nahin hota tha us nange ke ghar

is liye chhai hui thi us ke ghar mein muflisi

kal ke Dar se aaj pine mein na karta tha kami

mai-kashi ko gar koi saqi nahin deta tha jam

ok se pi kar hi wo apna chala leta tha kaam

marte marte bhi sharab us ki na ho pai thi kam

jam ko takta raha jab tak raha aankhon mein dam

us ke is kirdar par mujh se na karna guftugu

KHak mein jis ne mila di KHandani aabru

is qadar pahunche hue shaer ka ye kirdar hai

sher kahna chhoD dije shaeri be-kar hai

is se pahle ki mera barbaad ho jae ye ghar

aap bas ghar mein rahen sher-o-adab ko chhoD kar

mai-kashi aur aap hon matlub-o-talib ki tarah

sochti hun aap ho jaen na 'ghaalib' ki tarah