جو لوگ راتوں کو جاگتے تھے — اسد بدایونی

Jo log raaton ko jaagte the

Sitaare jitne bhi aasman par
Meri tamanna ke zofishan the
Zameen ke andar utar gaye hain
Jo log raaton ko jaagte the woh mar gaye hain
Woh phool woh titliyan ke jin se
Bahar ki dilkashi siwa thi
Woh rizq-e-khashaak ban chuke the
Tamam manzar tamam chehre jo dheere dheere sulag rahe the
So ab woh sab raakh ban chuke hain
Main raftagan ki udaas yaadon ke saye mein din guzarta hoon
Agarche khwabon ka pairahan taar taar sa hai
Pe main use kab utarta hoon
Meri sada ka jawab ab koi bhi na dega
Yeh jaanta hoon magar musalsal kisi ko ab tak pukarta hoon
Ajeeb yeh khel hai ke jis ko na jeet'ta hoon na harta hoon
Meri kahani mein koi shai bhi nayi nahin hai
Yeh nanhe munne haseen khwabon se hai ibarat
Meri kahani mein narm din khushgawar shaamon
Udaas raaton ki ek rau hai
Wajood mera kisi diye ki haqeer lau hai
Main yoon to kehne ko aql-o-mantiq ke daur ka aadmi hoon lekin
Mera rawaiyya hai zindagi ko guzarne ka bahut purana
Main sochta hoon ke ek sadi qabl paida hota to theek rehta
Ke mujh se koi bhi kuchh na kehta
Jo khaak ka rizq ho chuke hain
Main un zamamon ka nauha-gar hoon
Visal-o-hijran ki daastanon ka nauha-gar hoon
Jinhein yeh duniya hazar-ha baar sun chuki hai