I’ve been hooked on Iqbal Azeem’s poetry lately… here’s one of my favorites:
Mujhey apne zabt pe naaz tha, sar-e-bazm raat yeh kya huwa
Meri aankh kaisey chalak gayi, mujhe ranj hai yeh bura huwa
Meri zindagi ke charagh ka yeh mizaaj koi naya nahiN
Abhi roshni abhi teergi, na jala huwa na bujha huwa
Mujhe jo bhi dushman-e-jaaN mila, wohi pukhta kaar-e jafa mila
Na kisi ki zarb ghalat pari, na kisi ka teer khata huwa
Mujhe aap kyuN na samajh sake, kabhi apne dil sey bhi poochiye
Meri dastaan-e hayaat ka tow, waraq waraq hay khula huwa
Jo nazar bacha ke guzar gaye, merey saamney sey abhi abhi
Yeh merey hee shehr ke loag thay, merey ghar sey ghar hay mila huwa
HumeiN iss ka koi bhi haq nahiN, ke shareek-e bazm-e kholoos hoN
Na hamare paas naqaab hay, na kuch aasteeN meiN chupa huwa
Merey aik gosha-e fikr meiN, meri zindagi sey azeez tarr
Mera aik aisa bhi doast hay, jo kabhi mila na juda huwa
Mujhey ik gali meiN para huwa, kisi badnaseeb ka khat mila
KaheeN khoon-e dil sey likha huwa, kaheeN ansuooN sey mita huwa
Mujhey humsafar bhi mila koi, tow shikasta haal meri tarha
Kai manziloN ka thaka huwa, kaheeN raaste main luta huwa
HumeiN apne ghar sey chaley huwe, sar-e raah umr guzar gayi
Koi justuju ka sila mila, na safar ka haq hi ada huwa