This is one of the best poems by Josh sahib. I posted it elsewhere, but that was an incomplete version, thanks to unscrupulous publishers. I have now the complete version of this poem which I will post in installments.
Javaani ki yaad
qareeb-e-shaam jab dheemi hava nauhay sunaati hai
sisaktay kunj par jab sog-vaari dauR jaati hai
shafaq jab zindagi par khoon kay aansoo bahaati hai
mayaan-e-gulsitaaN zaalim khizaaN ki rath jab aati hai
aur us ki rau meiN jab har ek patti khaRkhaRaati hai
mujhay baysaakhta apni javaani yaad aati hai
thakay say jhuTpuTay meiN oonghnay lagtay haiN jab manzar
faza ki sog-vaari oRh leti hai siyah chaadar
tilismi vaadiyoN meiN ek zara sa shehr say haT kar
kamaaN ki tarah bal khaaey huay gham-naak saahil par
meray dil kay samandar meiN nadi jab Doob jaati hai
mujhay baysaakhta apni javaani yaad aati hai
nazar aata nahiN ek phool bhi jis waqt daaman meiN
sisakti hai rundhi si chaandni jab sehn-e-gulshan meiN
koi aavaarah taa’ir shab ko bol uThta hai jab ban meiN
aur ek veeraan ishrat-gaah kay khwaabeeda rauzan meiN
hava jis waqt aadhi raat ko seeTi bajaati hai
mujhay baysaakhta apni javaani yaad aati hai
subuk saarangiyaaN jab goonjti haiN bazm-e-khoobaaN meiN
ghani zulfoN ki mehkeiN tairti phirti haiN aivaaN meiN
nigaahoN kay safeenay Doob jaatay haiN jab afshaaN meiN
aur us mauqay peh mujh aashufta-qismat ki rag-e-jaaN meiN
nukeeli raagni jab Doob kar barchhi lagaati hai
mujhay baysaakhta apni javaani yaad aati hai
angeeThi kay kinaaray jab ba-faiz-e-jaam-e-zar-afshaaN
woh raateiN bolti haiN jab kabhi theeN qulzum e ilhaaN
puraani daastaaneiN jab pehenti haiN naey unvaaN
aur us mauqay peh ghabra kay ba-yaad-e-va’da-e-jaanaaN
nazar jab ek aashiq ki ghaRi ki samt jaati hai
mujhay baysaakhta apni javaani yaad aati hai
ufuq par chhooTta hai subh ka jis waqt fawwaara
thirakta hai sunehri vaadiyoN meiN surmai dhaara
shalooka dhoop chhaaoN ka pehen leta hai andhyaara
nazar aata hai aadhay chaand ki aaghosh meiN taara
aur apni saij ko jab zindagi veeraan paati hai
mujhay baysaakhta apni javaani yaad aati hai
falak ki jagmagaahat say, faza ki muskuraahat say
ufuq ki thartharaahaT, sard shabnam ki lagaavaT say
chaman ki khaak-e-gul-parvar ki dheemi gungunaahaT say
naseem-e-subh kay mavvaaj bosoN ki chaTaachaT say
kali meiN jab chaTaknay ki tamanna rasmasaati hai
mujhay baysaakhta apni javaani yaad aati hai
—baaqi aaenda
