ab jo daikhaiN to koi aisi barri baat na thi
yeh shabb-o-roz-o-meh-o-saal ka pur-peech safar
qadray asaaN bhi ho sakta tha!
yeh jo har moR pay kuch uljhay huway rastay hain
inn mai tarteeb ka imkaaN bhi ho sakta tha!
ham zara dhayaan say chaltay toh woh ghar
jiss kay baam-o-dar-o-devaar pe veerani hay
jiss kay har taaq mai rakhi huwi hairaani hay
jiss ki har subah mai shaamoN ki pareshaani hay
iss mai ham chayn say abaad bhi ho saktay thay
bakht say aman ki raahain bhi nikal sakti theeN
waqt say sulah ka paimaan bhi ho sakta tha
ab jo daikhaiN to buhut saaf nazar aatay hain
saaray manzar bhi, pas-e-manzar bhi
laikin iss dair-khayaali ka sila kiya ho ga?
yeh to sab baad ki baatain hain meri jaan, inhay
daikhtay, sochtay rehnay say bhala kiya ho ga?
woh jo hona tha huwa - ho bhi chuka
waqt ki loh pay likhi huwi tehreer kay haraf
khatt-e-tanseekh say waaqif hi nahi
bakht, maktab kay register ki tarah hota hay
apnay number pe jo ‘labbaik’ nahi keh paatay
unn ka kuch uzar nahi - koi bhi faryaad nahi
yeh woh taa’ir hain jinhain apni nawa yaad nahi
linain kateti raheen lafz badalnay kay sabab
koi tehreer, musalsal nahi honay paaee
haasil-e-umr - yehi chand adhooray khaakay!
koi tasveer, mukammal nahi honay paaee.
Amjad Islam Amjad