Agaah apni maut se koi bashar nahin,
Samaaan sau barass ka hai pal ki khabar nahin,

Aa jayen raub-e-ghair main hum woh bashar nahin,
Kuch aap ki tarah humen logon ka ddar nahin,

Ik to shab-e-firaq ke sadmay hain jaan–gudaaz,
Andhair is pe yeh hai ke hoti sehar nahin,

Kya kahiye is tarah ke talaavuun-mizaaaj ko,
Vaade ka hai yeh haal, idhar haan udhar nahin,

Rakhte qadam jo vaadi-e-ulfat main be-dharrak,
‘Hairat‘ sivaa tumhare kisi ka jigar nahin

Har ek baat pe kehte ho tum ki tu kya hai,
tumhin kaho ki ye andaaz-e-guftgoo kya hai.

Na shole mein ye karishma na barq mein ye adaa,
koi bataao ki woh shokh-e-tund-khoo kya hai.

Ye rashk hai ki woh hota hai hum-sukhan tum se,
wagarna khauf-e-bad-aamozi-e-adoo kya hai.

Chipak raha hai badan par lahoo se pairaahan,
humari jeb ko ab haajat-e-rafoo kya hai.

Jalaa hai jism jahan dil bhi jal gaya hoga,
kuredate ho jo ab raakh justjoo kya hai.

Ragon mein daudte phirne ke hum nahin qaayal,
jab aankh se hi na tapka toh phir lahoo kya hai.

Woh cheez jis ke liye hum ko ho bahisht azeez,
siwaaye baada-e-gulfaam-e-mushk-boo kya hai.

Piun sharaab agar khum bhi dekh *** do chaar,
ye sheesha-o-qadah-o-kooza-o-suboo kya hai.

Rahi na taaqat-e-guftaar aur agar ho bhi,
toh kis ummeed pe kahiye ki aarzoo kya hai.

Bana hai shaah ka musaahib phire hai itraata,
wagarna shehar mein ‘ghalib’ ki aabroo kya hai

sunaa hai bole to baatoN se phuul jhhaRte haiN
ye baat hai to chalo baat kar ke dekhte haiN

sunaa hai raat use chaaNd taktaa rahtaa hai
sitaare baam-e-falak se utar kar dekhte haiN