Main k is sheher ka seemaab sifat shaa'ir hoon
Meri takhleeq meray fiker ki pehchaan bhi hai

Meray hurfon meray lafzon mein hai chehra mera
Mera fun ab mera mazhab mera emaan bhi hai

Meer-o-Ghalib na sahi phir bhi ghaneemat jaano
Meray yaaron k sirhaanay mera deewaan bhi hai

Mujh say roothay hein meray apnay qabeelay waalay
Meray seenay mein her ik teer-e-sitam toota hai

Lafz-o-maani k taqaazon say ulhaj ker akser
Meray haathon mera mujrooh qalam toota hai

Karb-e-naa'qadri-e-yaaraan k bhanwar mein ghir ker
Baar-haa dil ki terhan shoq ka dam toota hai

Mutmainn hoon k mujhay yaad rakhay gi duniya !
Jab bhi is sheher ki taareekh-e-wafa likhay gi !

Meray ghar k dar-o-deewaar mujhay sochein gay
Wus'at-e-dasht mujhay aabla paa likhay gi

Mera maatam isi chup chaap fizaa mein hoga
Mera noha inhi galiyon ki hawa likhay gi !

Sir-e-rasm-e-daar rakhi gaeen kai talkhiyaan meray saamnay
Kabhi zindagi ka khiraaj to kabhi siskiyaan meray saamnay

Kaheen dam-ba-dam theen mohabbatein, kaheen aitaybaar-e-wafa na tha
Kaheen jaan-kani k nuzool pay khuleen mutthiyaan meray saamnay

Jisay khoob-tarr ki talaash thi jo nigaah-e-aaina saaz tha
Wohi khud samait k rakh gaya sab hi kirchiyaan meray saamnay

Ye bhi ik ajeeb tha haadsa teray zabt-e-ghum k rajaal per
Meri aankh say hi chalak paray teray terjumaan meray saamnay

Kabhi ouj-e-naql-e-jamaal say sir-e-farsh gunj-e-safer mein aa
Kabhi paish koh-e-giraan to ker sir-e-imtayhaan meray saamnay

Jo kaha k raamish-e-jaan-fazaa pas-e-merg yaad karo gay kya
to shikasta haal mazaar ki perheen takhtiyaan meray saamnay.

Zameen-o-aasmaan hai or main hoon
Koi wehm-o-gumaan hai or main hoon

Ghumon ka bojh had say berh raha hai
Wafa ka imtayhaan hai or main hoon

Bhanwar mein doob jaaye ga safeena
Shikasta baad-baan hai or main hoon

Mujhay aankhon ki tughyaani ka darr hai
Ye behr-e-bay-karaan hai or main hoon

Meri himmat shikasta ho na jaaye
Mukhaalif ik jahaan hai or main hoon

Main aisay band kamray mein hoon ShihaaB
Jahaan aah-o-fughaan hai or main hoon.

Kis liye tu nay uchaaleen a samander kashtiyaan
Laad ker kab laa rahi theen laal-o-gohar kashtiyaan

Aashnaa-e-mouj-e-deriya yun to main bhi hoon mager
Jaanti hein paaniyon ko mujh say behter kashtiyaan

Aik saylaab-e-balaa aanay ki taiyaari mein hai
A ameer-e-sheher tu pohancha day ghar ghar kashtiyaan

Saahilon ki rait say aagay nahi bertha kabhi
Hai azal say mahi-geeron ka muqaddar kashtiyaan

Apnay baazoo per hi tum rakhna bharosa a ShihaaB
Dastaras say jaanay kab ho jaayein baahir kashtiyaan.

Phir kon sunay ga bhala kohraam hamaara
Gar us tak kabhi pohancha nahi payghaam hamaara

Paataal mein phaink aayein gi ik roz hawaayein
Sookhay huway patton pay na likh naam hamaara

Her waqt usay yaad kiya kertay hein hum log
Muddat say yehi aik hai bas kaam hamaara

Wo jis ka badan baagh k phoolon say bana tha
Kis sheher mein rehta hai ab gulfaam hamaara

Phir toot k aa jaati hein kuch taiz hawaayein
Jalta hai diya jab bhi sir-e-shaam hamaara

Hum khaak nasheenon ko falak say nahi nisbat
Dharti pay hua kerta hai bisraam hamaara

Ab dil k dharaknay say bhi darr lagta hai ShihaaB
Jaanay wo kahaan lay gaya aaraam hamaara.

Na apni zaat na auqaat ki tasweer kheenchay ga
Faqeer-e-rah-guzer haalaat ki tasweer kheenchay ga

Wo sooraj hai to kaisay jaan sakta hai meri shab ko
Ujaala kis terhan say raat ki tasweer kheenchay ga

Nazer aayein gay tum ko an-ginat manzer mohabbat k
Ghazal mein shair-go jazbaat ki tasweer kheenchay ga

Mujhay maaloom hai mujh say khafa honay waala shakhs
Akaylay mein kisi bersaar ki tasweer kheenchay ga

Wo aaye ga, nahi aaye ga shaayad, raat bhar ShihaaB
Hamaara dil shak-o-shubhaat ki tasweer kheenchay ga.

Raat ki chaadar pay jaisay teergi bikhri hui
Hasraton ki saij per hai zindagi bikhri hui

Chaand k mukhray say aanchal jab hawa sarka gai
Raat bhar phir chaar-soo thi chaandni bikhri hui

Teri baatein or yaadein raat bhar likhta raha
Subha-dam thi kaaghazon pay shaairi bikhri hui

Beher ki moujon mein phir honay lageen sirgoshiyaan
Meray honton per jo dekhi tishnagi bikhri hui

Aks tera aainay mein jhilmilaaya is terhan
Roshni si her taraf hai husn ki bikhri hui

Kon tha jis nay bikhayra in ko bay-derdi k saath
Kon tha jo chun raha tha her kali bikhri hui

Teray haathon mein raha to zindagi mehfooz thi
Ab kahaan lay jaaye ShihaaB zindagi bikhri hui.