Aadhi Raat

1

siyah peD hain ab aap apni parchhain

zamin se ta-mah-o-anjum sukut ke minar

jidhar nigah karen ek athah gum-shudgi

ek ek kar ke fasurda charaghon ki palken

jhapak gain jo khuli hain jhapakne wali hain

jhalak raha hai paDa chandni ke darpan mein

rasile kaif bhare manzaron ka jagta KHwab

falak pe taron ko pahli jamahiyan aain

2

tamoliyon ki dokanen kahin kahin hain khuli

kuchh unghti hui baDhti hain shah-rahon par

sawariyon ke baDe ghungruon ki jhankaren

khaDa hai os mein chup-chap har singar ka peD

dulhan ho jaise haya ki sugandh se bojhal

ye mauj-e-nur ye bharpur ye khili hui raat

ki jaise khilta chala jae ek safed kanwal

sipah-e-rus hai ab kitni dur berlin se

jaga raha hai koi aadhi raat ka jadu

chhalak rahi hai KHum-e-ghaib se sharab-e-wajud

faza-e-nim-shabi nargis-e-KHumar-alud

kanwal ki chuTkiyon mein band hai nadi ka suhag

3

ye ras ka sej ye sukumar ye sukomal gat

nayan kamal ki jhapak kaam-rup ka jadu

ye rasmasai palak ki ghani ghani parchhain

falak pe bikhre hue chand aur sitaron ki

chamakti ungliyon se chhiD ke saz fitrat ke

tarane jagne wale hain tum bhi jag uTho

4

shua-e-mahr ne yun un ko chum chum liya

nadi ke bich kumudni ke phul khil uTThe

na muflisi ho to kitni hasin hai duniya

ye jhaen jhaen si rah rah ke ek jhingur ki

hina ki Tattiyon mein narm sarsarahaT si

faza ke sine mein KHamosh sansanahaT si

ye kaenat ab ek nind le chuki hogi

5

ye mahw-e-KHwab hain rangin machhliyan tah-e-ab

ki hauz-e-sehn mein ab in ki chashmaken bhi nahin

ye sar-nigun hain sar-e-shaKH phul guDhal ke

ki jaise be-bujhe angare ThanDe paD jaen

ye chandni hai ki umDa hua hai ras-sagar

ek aadmi hai ki itna dukhi hai duniya mein

6

qarib chand ke manDla rahi hai ek chiDiya

bhanwar mein nur ke karwaT se jaise naw chale

ki jaise sina-e-shair mein koi KHwab pale

wo KHwab sanche mein jis ke nai hayat Dhale

wo KHwab jis se purana nizam-e-gham badle

kahan se aati hai madmalti lata ki lipaT

ki jaise saikDon pariyan gulabiyan chhiDkaen

ki jaise saikDon ban-dewiyon ne jhule par

ada-e-KHas se ek sath baal khol diye

lage hain kan sitaron ke jis ki aahaT par

is inqalab ki koi KHabar nahin aati

dil-e-nujum dhaDakte hain kan bajte hain

7

ye sans leti hui kaenat ye shab-e-mah

ye pur-sukun ye pur-asrar ye udas saman

ye narm narm hawaon ke nil-gun jhonke

faza ki oT mein mardon ki gungunahaT hai

ye raat maut ki be-rang muskurahaT hai

dhuan dhuan se manazir tamam nam-dida

KHunuk dhundalke ki aankhen bhi nim KHwabida

sitare hain ki jahan par hai aansuon ka kafan

hayat parda-e-shab mein badalti hai pahlu

kuchh aur jag uTha aadhi raat ka jadu

zamana kitna laDai ko rah gaya hoga

mere KHayal mein ab ek baj raha hoga

8

gulon ne chadar-e-shabnam mein munh lapeT liya

labon pe so gai kaliyon ki muskurahaT bhi

zara bhi sumbul-e-turki laTen nahin hiltin

sukut-e-nim-shabi ki haden nahin miltin

ab inqalab mein shayad ziyaada der nahin

guzar rahe hain kai karwan dhundalke mein

sukut-e-nim-shabi hai unhin ke panw ki chap

kuchh aur jag uTha aadhi raat ka jadu

9

nai zamin naya aasman nai duniya

nae sitare nai gardishen nae din raat

zamin se ta-ba-falak intizar ka aalam

faza-e-zard mein dhundle ghubar ka aalam

hayat maut-numa intishaar ka aalam

hai mauj-e-dud ki dhundli faza ki nabzen hain

tamam KHastagi-o-mandgi ye daur-e-hayat

thake thake se ye tare thaki thaki si ye raat

ye sard sard ye be-jaan phiki phiki chamak

nizam-e-saniya ki maut ka pasina hai

KHud apne aap mein ye kaenat Dub gai

KHud apni kokh se phir jagmaga ke ubhregi

badal ke kechuli jis tarah nag lahrae

10

KHunuk fazaon mein raqsan hain chand ki kirnen

ki aabginon pe paDti hai narm narm phuwar

ye mauj-e-ghaflat-e-masum ye KHumar-e-badan

ye sans nind mein Dubi ye aankh madmati

ab aao mere kaleje se lag ke so jao

ye palken band karo aur mujh mein kho jao