maiN tashna-lab tha magar band-band thii botal

maiN tashna-lab tha magar band-band thii botal
uThii jo aaNkh kisii kii to khul gayee botal

mire Khumaar ko darkaar thaa to bas itnaa
kabhii-kabhii voh nigaaheN, kabhii-kabhii botal

hare-bhare mire armaaN, hare-bhare sapne
magar na haath meiN aa'ii harii-bharii botal

tumhaarii neem-nigaahii ne maar maar diyaa
khaTak rahii hai nazar meiN voh adh-khulii botal

ghuTii-ghuTii si suraahii, dabii-dabii si sharaab
hameN to chaahiye ik jeeti-jaagtii botal

jhijak-jhijak si rahii thii magar, Khudaa rakkhe
jyuNhii khulii to chhalaktii chalii gayee botal

lagaaya haath to sharmaa ke kuchh simaT si gayee
bharaa jo ghooNT to yak-dam machal gayee botal

Khumaar rooh ko hotaa to jism lehraataa
"nashaa sharaab meiN hotaa to naachtii botal"

na puuchhiye ke dil-e-Gham-zadah pe kyaa beetii?
uduu ke haath meiN dekhii jo "Qais" kii botal

Rajkumar "Qais"