thaa ek saaya saa piichhe piichhe jo mud ke dekhaa to kuchh nahiin thaa
— Akhtar Hoshiyarpuri
Thaa ek saaya saa peechhe peechhe jo muD ke dekhaa to kuchh nahin thaa
Ab apnee soorat ko dekhtaa huun kabhi jo sad-paikar-aafreen thaa
Wo phir bhee jaan se azeez-tar thaa tabee.aten go judaa judaa thiin
Agarche ham-zaad bhee nahin thaa wo meraa ham-shakl bhee nahin thaa
Main ruk sakoongaa Thahar sakoongaa thakan safar kee miTaa sakoongaa
Kaheen to koi shajar milegaa tamaam raste yahee yaqeen thaa
Ka.ee chaTaanen gudaaz jismon men apnee garmee se Dhal ga.ee thiin
Buton ke qisse men tesha-kaaron kaa tazkira bhee kaheen kaheen thaa
Na jaane kya dhund darmiyaan thee ki kohkan kee nazar na pahunchee
Jahaan se phooTaa thaa chashma-e-maah-shab kaa patthar bhee to vaheen thaa
Main apnee aavaaz ke ta.aaqub men maavaraa-e-nazar bhee pahunchaa
Magar palaT kar na us ne poochhaa ki main khalaa ke bahut qareen thaa
Vahee manaazir luTe luTe se vahee shikasta makaan 'akhtar'
Main roz-marra ke raaste se jo ghar men pahunchaa bahut hazeen thaa