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‘AFZAL SHAUQ’ – THE TRAVELER POET AS I KNOW HIM / Nazish Zafar

It was through Alley Boling’s valued translations, that I could relish an entirely new and very joyous experience of being introduced to Pushto Poet, Afzal Shauq’s poetry which to my pleasant surprise, inspite of his being a poet of a regional language, has modern approach and universal appeal, aptly worthy of being translated in an international language, to touch the hearts of millions of people around the globe. Alley Boling in this regard, deserves a great applause for bringing out the true spirit of his otherwise, alien words in the garb of a language understood by the most, including me.

 

A master story – teller, who prefers doing it in verse, Afzal Shauq’s poetry has all the effects of a theatrical performance, that can warm the audience up, and that can chill them down. But in his case, there is only rise of the curtain and no fall. He leaves his reader with a lasting image to take home and cherish. He is a master director, with a complete understanding of his characters. Be they that of a lover, a beloved, a soldier, a traveler or a man on street.

 

A poet – traveler in true spirit, he ventures forth to discover the colours of life, not through careless ransacking but by making ‘Love’ his guide and mentor. ‘Love’ that bubbles forth from within him as ceaseless energy. What he yearns for is a union of his soul with an equal love force that will give completion and perfection to his creation.

 

He stands baffled, disillusioned and wondering when his love is answered by a materialistic attitude..

 

                I present songs of love

                Played on my heart’s violin

                But they would rather

                Dance for money …

           

                         ( A Complaint – But to whom?/Twist of Fates/p-282)

 

He is an ardent lover of beauty, and in ‘Love’, he sees eternal beauty in its perfection. He is ready to cultivate a farm full of roses of beauty on the land of his heart, no matter how much thorns they bring. Even the melodrama of ‘Spanish Eyes’ can’t keep him from hankering’ after beauty images, like Picasso.

 

Love , for Afzal Shauq, is not only a source of self fulfillment and self completion, but a remedy to all ailments humanity faces today. He expands the experience of love from the personal territory of heart to the universal phenomenon of Man in general. The worse predicaments of modern man, can be resolved only through cultivation of this passion among all.

               

‘ LOVE ’

                *****

Love ….

                Deafens

                Blinding

                Fearless

                Love ….

                Melts stone

                Free souls

                Expands

                Two hearts

                Evolving

                Committed

                And with love

                Culture,

                Location,

                Beliefs,

                All vanish

                This I believe

 

( Twist of Fates/p- 84)

 

Combining both beauty and love, his ideal is the ‘Eighth Colour’ in rainbow and strangely and ironically this eighth colour is reflection of his own untarnished soul, which he desires to see embodied in another face. The pursuit of his ideal far from looking for physical beauty and luscious love, now becomes a highly spiritual and philosophic experience. The face of his ideal, an extension of his own soul, very deeply connected and dear to him, sets him wandering on the strangest of lands. But the ideal prefers 'staying in the dark, always eluding , drawn to darkness, while he stands alone in the light of the day, wishing to disclose.' The distance and the parting is painful enough o drive him to madness.

               

Madness possessed ….

                Ever onward

                This endless search

                Traveling day and night

                Like a fairy prince

                Unseen to the eye

                Tracking after you

                Who haunts my mind .

                                                                       

   ( Madness/Twist of Fates/p-177)

 

When his search for the ideal is returned to him unsuccessful, he once again seeks solace in his inner world .

               

THE MIRROR

                *****

                Face of my desire

                Always eluding me

                Haunting my dreams

                Appearing in my thoughts
                I always see you

                This face similar to mine

                I feel so alone ….

                Always, so alone ….

                So here I stand again

                Gazing into the mirror

                Seeking some comfort

                In the image I can see ….

 `                    

    (Twist of Fates/p- 172 )  

Bridging the gulf between the different quarters of the world through his travels and words, Afzal Shauq preaches peace for the sake of prosperity of humanity. To him life lies in peace, and sustenance lies in love. Without peace and love survival of mankind is impossible. He thinks being a poet and puts his words into action being a traveler.

              

HUMANITARIAN

               *****

A true humanitarian...

               is not sentimental

               proposing love

               with useless speeches.

               but takes action

               clearing paths over grown

               blocking the good road

               helping his fellow men.....

 

(Twist of fates/p-270)

 

Afzal Shauq, while wandering through different lands in his search, also traversed the deeper tresses of human civilization. He has been a keen observer of evolution, human kind has brought upon itself, in ages. To his disappointment, this evolution has lead to gradual destruction as it is a heartless adventure of selfish nature of man. He is pained to see how men have divided themselves into the rich and the poor as the economy advanced, how the blood shed and plunder became the order of the day as men ‘cultured’ themselves; How men became ever vicious and deadly as they strive hard for survival. He speaks for the poor, the suffering, the deprived with the compassion of being in their shoes himself.

But his poems, inspite of all the traces of pain and suffering on earth, nowhere become a lament or a woe, where a weak heart mourns and wails. They are ever filled with a hope , originating from his belief in the power of love. He knows and can convince that some day ..

               

‘With the rain

Once parched lands would become prosperous’                               

              (Hope for Peace/Twist of Fates/p-316)

 

With impressive themes, strong imagery, unique style and beautiful diction, poems of Twist of Fates leave me richer at heart and mind. Based upon my experience of perusing this book, I address the poet in these words:

               

Wither you flee?

                The wandering soul !

                Captive of the unseen !

                You wish to unlock

                The heart within you

                And those of all you can reach

                The cells of scary night

                And let all stars fly away

                In search of the unknown
                You !

                Who has trampled

                The strangest of lands and seas

                Under your feet

                Look for your own face

                Unable to find

                Tear deprived

                Shed dreams

                In speechless agony

 

With my best wishes and regards for Afzal Shauq.

 

NAZISH FAZAR

Islamabad / January, 21st  2008

nazishzafar@yahoo.com

 

About the Author

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