Sher on Sher

duniyā ne tajrabāt o havādis kī shakl meñ

jo kuchh mujhe diyā hai vo lauTā rahā huuñ maiñ

duniya ne tajrabaat o hawadis ki shakl mein

jo kuchh mujhe diya hai wo lauTa raha hun main

ash.ār mire yuuñ to zamāne ke liye haiñ

kuchh sher faqat un ko sunāne ke liye haiñ

ashaar mere yun to zamane ke liye hain

kuchh sher faqat un ko sunane ke liye hain

apnī rusvā.ī tire naam kā charchā dekhūñ

ik zarā sher kahūñ aur maiñ kyā kyā dekhūñ

apni ruswai tere nam ka charcha dekhun

ek zara sher kahun aur main kya kya dekhun

khultā kisī pe kyuuñ mire dil kā mo.āmla

sheroñ ke intiḳhāb ne rusvā kiyā mujhe

khulta kisi pe kyun mere dil ka moamla

sheron ke intiKHab ne ruswa kiya mujhe

sher dar-asl haiñ vahī 'hasrat'

sunte hī dil meñ jo utar jaa.eñ

sher dar-asl hain wahi 'hasrat'

sunte hi dil mein jo utar jaen

ġhazal kā sher to hotā hai bas kisī ke liye

magar sitam hai ki sab ko sunānā paḌtā hai

ghazal ka sher to hota hai bas kisi ke liye

magar sitam hai ki sab ko sunana paDta hai

shā.er ko mast kartī hai tārīf-e-sher 'amīr'

sau botaloñ kā nashsha hai is vaah vaah meñ

shaer ko mast karti hai tarif-e-sher 'amir'

sau botalon ka nashsha hai is wah wah mein

mujh ko shā.er na kaho 'mīr' ki sāhab maiñ ne

dard o ġham kitne kiye jam.a to dīvān kiyā

mujh ko shaer na kaho 'mir' ki sahab main ne

dard o gham kitne kiye jama to diwan kiya

ham se pūchho ki ġhazal kyā hai ġhazal kā fan kyā

chand lafzoñ meñ koī aag chhupā dī jaa.e

hum se puchho ki ghazal kya hai ghazal ka fan kya

chand lafzon mein koi aag chhupa di jae

hai mashq-e-suḳhan jaarī chakkī kī mashaqqat bhī

ik turfa tamāshā hai 'hasrat' kī tabī.at bhī

hai mashq-e-suKHan jari chakki ki mashaqqat bhi

ek turfa tamasha hai 'hasrat' ki tabiat bhi

chhupī hai an-ginat chiñgāriyāñ lafzoñ ke dāman meñ

zarā paḌhnā ġhazal kī ye kitāb āhista āhista

chhupi hai an-ginat chingariyan lafzon ke daman mein

zara paDhna ghazal ki ye kitab aahista aahista

apne lahje kī hifāzat kījiye

sher ho jaate haiñ nā-mālūm bhī

apne lahje ki hifazat kijiye

sher ho jate hain na-malum bhi

hazāroñ sher mere so ga.e kāġhaz kī qabroñ meñ

ajab maañ huuñ koī bachcha mirā zinda nahīñ rahtā

hazaron sher mere so gae kaghaz ki qabron mein

ajab man hun koi bachcha mera zinda nahin rahta

Diary meñ saare achchhe sher chun kar likh liye

ek laḌkī ne mirā dīvān ḳhālī kar diyā

Diary mein sare achchhe sher chun kar likh liye

ek laDki ne mera diwan KHali kar diya

bandish-e-alfāz jaḌne se nagoñ ke kam nahīñ

shā.irī bhī kaam hai 'ātish' murassa-sāz kā

bandish-e-alfaz jaDne se nagon ke kam nahin

shairi bhi kaam hai 'atish' murassa-saz ka

kahīñ kahīñ se kuchh misre ek-ādh ġhazal kuchh sher

is pūñjī par kitnā shor machā saktā thā maiñ

kahin kahin se kuchh misre ek-adh ghazal kuchh sher

is punji par kitna shor macha sakta tha main

rahtā suḳhan se naam qayāmat talak hai 'zauq'

aulād se rahe yahī do pusht chaar pusht

rahta suKHan se nam qayamat talak hai 'zauq'

aulad se rahe yahi do pusht chaar pusht

saadā samjho na inheñ rahne do dīvāñ meñ 'amīr'

yahī ash.ār zabānoñ pe haiñ rahne vaale

sada samjho na inhen rahne do diwan mein 'amir'

yahi ashaar zabanon pe hain rahne wale

suḳhan meñ sahl nahīñ jaañ nikāl kar rakhnā

ye zindagī hai hamārī sambhāl kar rakhnā

suKHan mein sahl nahin jaan nikal kar rakhna

ye zindagi hai hamari sambhaal kar rakhna

vahī rah jaate haiñ zabānoñ par

sher jo intiḳhāb hote haiñ

wahi rah jate hain zabanon par

sher jo intiKHab hote hain

ye shā.irī ye kitābeñ ye āyateñ dil kī

nishāniyāñ ye sabhī tujh pe vārnā hoñgī

ye shairi ye kitaben ye aayaten dil ki

nishaniyan ye sabhi tujh pe warna hongi

merā har sher hai ik rāz-e-haqīqat 'beḳhud'

maiñ huuñ urdu kā 'nazīrī' mujhe tū kyā samjhā

mera har sher hai ek raaz-e-haqiqat 'beKHud'

main hun urdu ka 'naziri' mujhe tu kya samjha

zindagī bhar kī kamā.ī yahī misre do-chār

is kamā.ī pe to izzat nahīñ milne vaalī

zindagi bhar ki kamai yahi misre do-chaar

is kamai pe to izzat nahin milne wali

sau sher ek jalse meñ kahte the ham 'amīr'

jab tak na sher kahne kā ham ko shu.ūr thā

sau sher ek jalse mein kahte the hum 'amir'

jab tak na sher kahne ka hum ko shuur tha

sher se shā.irī se Darte haiñ

kam-nazar raushnī se Darte haiñ

sher se shairi se Darte hain

kam-nazar raushni se Darte hain

log kahte haiñ ki fann-e-shā.irī manhūs hai

sher kahte kahte maiñ deputy collector ho gayā

log kahte hain ki fann-e-shairi manhus hai

sher kahte kahte main deputy collector ho gaya

ye tire ash.ār terī ma.anavī aulād haiñ

apne bachche bechnā 'iqbāl-sājid' chhoḌ de

ye tere ashaar teri manawi aulad hain

apne bachche bechna 'iqbaal-sajid' chhoD de

is ko samjho na ḳhatt-e-nafs 'hafīz'

aur hī kuchh hai shā.erī se ġharaz

is ko samjho na KHatt-e-nafs 'hafiz'

aur hi kuchh hai shaeri se gharaz

'asġhar' ġhazal meñ chāhiye vo mauj-e-zindagī

jo husn hai butoñ meñ jo mastī sharāb meñ

'asghar' ghazal mein chahiye wo mauj-e-zindagi

jo husn hai buton mein jo masti sharab mein

bhuuk taḳhlīq kā talent baḌhā detī hai

peT ḳhālī ho to ham sher nayā kahte haiñ

bhuk taKHliq ka talent baDha deti hai

peT KHali ho to hum sher naya kahte hain

hamāre sher haiñ ab sirf dil-lagī ke 'asad'

khulā ki fā.eda arz-e-hunar meñ ḳhaak nahīñ

hamare sher hain ab sirf dil-lagi ke 'asad'

khula ki faeda arz-e-hunar mein KHak nahin

rāh-e-mazmūn-e-tāza band nahīñ

tā qayāmat khulā hai bāb-e-suḳhan

rah-e-mazmun-e-taza band nahin

ta qayamat khula hai bab-e-suKHan

shā.irī taaza zamānoñ kī hai me.amār 'farāz'

ye bhī ik silsila-e-kun-fayakūñ hai yuuñ hai

shairi taza zamanon ki hai meamar 'faraaz'

ye bhi ek silsila-e-kun-fayakun hai yun hai

us kā to ek lafz bhī ham ko nahīñ hai yaad

kal raat ek sher kahā thā jo ḳhvāb meñ

us ka to ek lafz bhi hum ko nahin hai yaad

kal raat ek sher kaha tha jo KHwab mein

aune-paune ġhazleñ bechīñ nazmoñ kā bevpār kiyā

dekho ham ne peT kī ḳhātir kyā kyā kārobār kiyā

aune-paune ghazlen bechin nazmon ka bewpar kiya

dekho hum ne peT ki KHatir kya kya karobar kiya

mire añg añg meñ bas ga.ī

ye jo shā.irī hai ye kaun hai

mere ang ang mein bas gai

ye jo shairi hai ye kaun hai

harf ko barg-e-navā detā huuñ

yuuñ mire paas hunar kuchh bhī nahīñ

harf ko barg-e-nawa deta hun

yun mere pas hunar kuchh bhi nahin

'kaif' yuuñ āġhosh-e-fan meñ zehn ko niiñd aa ga.ī

jaise maañ kī god meñ bachcha sisak kar so gayā

'kaif' yun aaghosh-e-fan mein zehn ko nind aa gai

jaise man ki god mein bachcha sisak kar so gaya

mujh ko marne na diyā sher utāre mujh par

ishq ne bas ye mire saath ri.āyat kī thī

mujh ko marne na diya sher utare mujh par

ishq ne bas ye mere sath riayat ki thi

ḳhushk seroñ tan-e-shā.er kā lahū hotā hai

tab nazar aatī hai ik misra-e-tar kī sūrat

KHushk seron tan-e-shaer ka lahu hota hai

tab nazar aati hai ek misra-e-tar ki surat

hamāre sher ko sun kar sukūt ḳhuub nahīñ

bayān kījiye is meñ jo kuchh ta.ammul ho

hamare sher ko sun kar sukut KHub nahin

bayan kijiye is mein jo kuchh tammul ho

shā.irī meñ anfus-o-āfāq mub.ham haiñ abhī

isti.āra hī haqīqat meñ ḳhudā sā ḳhvāb hai

shairi mein anfus-o-afaq mubham hain abhi

istiara hi haqiqat mein KHuda sa KHwab hai