ye kitabon ki saf-ba-saf jilden
kaghazon ka fuzul istimal
raushnai ka shandar israf
sidhe sidhe se kuchh siyah dhabbe
jin ki taujih aaj tak na hui
chand khush-zauq kam-nasibon ne
basar auqat ke liye shayad
ye lakiren bikher dali hain
kitni hi be-qusur naslon ne
in ko padhne ke jurm mein ta-umr
le ke kashkul-e-ilm-o-hikmat-o-fan
ku-ba-ku jaan ki bhik mangi hai
aah ye waqt ka azab-e-alim
waqt khallaq be-shuur qadim
sari tarifen un andheron ki
jin mein partaw na koi parchhain
aah ye zindagi ki tanhai
sochna aur sochte rahna
chand masum pagalon ki saza
aaj main ne bhi soch rakkha hai
waqt se intiqam lene ko
yunhi ta-sham sade kaghaz par
tedhe tedhe khutut khinche jaen