Ab mere dusray bazu pe wo shamsheer hai jo
Is se pehle bhi mera nisf badan kaat chuki
Usi bandooq ki goli hai meri simt ke jo
Is se pehle bhi meri shah-rag ka lahu chaat chuki
Phir wohi aag dhar ayi hai meri galyun mein
Phir mere shehar mein barood ki boo pheli hai
Phir se "tu kaun hai?" "mein kaun hoon?" aapas mein sawal
Phir wohi soch, mayan man-o-tu pheli hai
Meri basti se parey bhi mere dushman hongay
Par yahan kab koi aghyaar ka lashkar utra
Ashnaa haath hi aksar meri jaanib lapkey
Mere seeney mein mera apna hi khanjar utra
Phir wohi khauf ki deewar, tazabzub ki fiza
Phir hui aam wohi ahl-e-riya ki baatein
Nara-e-hub-e-watan, maal-e-tajarat ki tarah
Jins-e-Ajzaan ki tarah, deen-e-Khuda ki baatein
Is se pehle bhi to aisi hi ghari ayi thi
Subh-e-wehshat ki tarah sham-e-gharibaan ki tarah
Is se pehle bhi to paimaan-e-wafa tootay thay
Sheesha-e-dil ki tarah, aina-e-jaan ki tarah
Phir kahan ahmeri hoton pe duaon ke diye
Phir kahan shabnami chehron pe rafaqat ki rida
Sandali paon se mastana ravi rooth gai
Marmari haathon pe jal-bujh gaya angaar-e-hina
Dil nashin aankhon mein furqat zada kaajal roya
Shaakh-e-bazoo ke liye zulf ka baadal roya
Misl-e-pairahan-e-gul phir se badan chaak huwe
Jaise apnon ki kamanon mein hon aghyar ke teer
Is se pehle bhi hua chand muhabbat ka du-neem
Nok-e-dashna sey khinchi thi meri dharti pe lakeer
Aaj aisa nahi, aisa nahi honay dena!
Aye mere sokhta jaano, mere pyaare logo!
Ab ke ger zalzaley aaye to qayamat hogi!
Mere dil geer mere dard ke maare logo!
Kisi ghasib, kisi zaalim, kisi katil ke liye!
Khud ko taqseem na karna mere saray logo!
Ahmed Faraz (1931-2008) was an Urdu-language Pakistani poet
