Sher

In faaslon ko itni muddat na ho jaaye kaheen,
Tanhaai aur teri yaad ki aadat na ho jaaye kaheen!
Raat din bas tere ik ishaare ka intezaar hai
Zara ghaur kisi aur se mohabbat na ho jaaye kaheen.

Raising Parents

Once upon a time I was a child
A danger to myself, a little wild.
Father would be there to hold me steady,
Until the day that I to walk was ready.

I bought my first bicycle at age nine
For all I tried I couldn’t keep it in line.
Mother would be there to hold me steady
Until the day that I to ride was ready.

Fifteen was when my education began,
To face a world of fraud, become a man.
Unsure was I, afraid, but not my dad,
He told me that he knew I won’t go bad.

Around eighteen, a strangeness came to pass:
Suddenly my parents were left behind! Alas!
I now had thoughts and ideas of my own,
And some of these were previously unknown.

In much too short a time their son did grow,
Too fast! And my parents were too slow
To adjust. All too quick it was complete:
Their love became the fetters on my feet.

A plea, therefore, that summarizes this verse,
To parents who think maturity’s a curse.
Do grow up, dear parents, and grow up soon!
Your kids will not keep waiting forever for you.

शब्-ए-याद

आज शब – ए – याद में ए दिल कोई बहल नहीं .
सबा में वो लहर नहीं , जुबां पे वो ग़ज़ल नहीं .

इंतज़ार -ओ -दिलबर में बसर है , असर नहीं ,
उनपे ऐतबार कहाँ ? वोह आज हैं , वोह कल नहीं .

फ़िराक-ए -फ़ुरक़त में आँखें बंद थी बा -शब मगर ,
पलकों तले तूफ़ान है , चैन -ए -असल नहीं .

जी हाँ मिला था हमें आपका वोह दिल -फरेब ख़त
वोह लफ्ज़ मरहम-ए-दर्द -ए -दिल हैं, मर्ज़ -ए -इश्क का हल नहीं .

हरगिज़ हर शौक़ को अंजाम देंगी वोह , मैं हूँ या हूँ नहीं ,
ग़ैरों में भी वोह ढूँढती है तुझे , दिल -ए -नादाँ तू जल नहीं.

चले गए वोह नाक़द्र आशिक , ज़ंजीर-ए-फ़र्ज़ में क़ैद
अपनी दिलबरी में हर फासला फना! दिल-ए-मायूस तू मचल नहीं!

Har chaahat

Har chaahat chhod khalish-si gayi koi
Jaan wajood-e-khwahish main hai kami koi…

Junoon-e-jawaani main beqaabu hain waa-rastah
Ye bujhti aag bhi de jaayegi nami koi…

Ik zarrah door thi maqsood manzil-e-muqammal
Baat banti hi thi, ke na bani koi.

Har mehfil main be-iqtiza haazir rehte hain mutawaqqi’
Ke humse bhi kucch kahe, kucch poocche, kabhi koi!

Be-taasir hai ye jaam, woh nasha-e-paak nahi aasaan
Ba-hosh andaaz-e-bayaan, ba-aazmaa’ish maah jabeen koi!

Sufi-aana andaaz, roohaani kalaam, yoon toh rab ko bhi jeet le
Magar darbaar-e-dilbar main humse ghazal hi na bani koi!

Soya toh is yaqeen se ke woh khush hai, mazooz hai
Utha toh is yaqeen se ke woh bhi raat bhar nahi soi.

Matwaale aashiq toh gali gali main mil jaate hain
Bin peeyay mohabbat seh sake, aisa nahi koi!

Chuppi

Koi Fariyaad is dil main hai
Baithi hai sikud ke … naadaan, khafaa…
Gehri Saanson ke aakhri pal main,
Uski maujoodgi ka ehsaas hai.

Koi fariyaad is dil main hai
Chhupi hai seenay main… gumsum,chup-chaap…
Lot-ti sookhe aansuon-si chehre pe,
Us gudgudi main uski aahat hai.

Par in adaaon se fariyaad ne kya paaya?
Chhupne se mukaam bhi haasil nahi!
Jab dil main hai aur toofaan kayee,
Toh itraane ka ilm bhi kaafi nahi!