Some Recent English-Language Poetry from Pakistan

Some Recent English-Language Poetry from Pakistan

Review Article'
Some Recent English-Language Poetry
from Pakistan
CARLO COPPOLA
T
J L H E
F I F T I E T H A N N I V E R S A R Y
o f b o t h Pakistan's a n d I n d i a s
i n d e p e n d e n c e has g e n e r a t e d i n b o t h n a t i o n s a n d i n o t h e r c o u n tries t h r o u g h o u t t h e w o r l d a p l e t h o r a o f c e l e b r a t o r y a c t i v i t i e s .
T h e s e vary w i d e l y i n t h e i r s c o p e a n d f o c u s . S o m e , l i k e c o n c e r t s
a n d e x h i b i t i o n s , are evanescent; others are m o r e p e r m a n e n t .
W i t h i n this l a t t e r c a t e g o r y falls this d i s t i n c t i v e series o f b o o k s o f
E n g l i s h - l a n g u a g e p o e t r y f r o m O x f o r d U n i v e r s i t y Press, K a r a c h i ,
w h i c h has b e e n strongly supportive o f Pakistani poets w r i t i n g i n
E n g l i s h . T h e a p p e a r a n c e o f this c u r r e n t set o f w e l l - e d i t e d , carefully p u b l i s h e d , a n d h a n d s o m e l y presented m a t c h i n g volumes
f r o m O x f o r d U n i v e r s i t y Press n o t o n l y c e l e b r a t e s t h e g o l d e n
j u b i l e e o f P a k i s t a n ' s i n d e p e n d e n c e f r o m B r i t a i n b u t also h i g h l i g h t s t h e best w o r k o f s e v e n o f t h e c o u n t r y ' s f o r e m o s t E n g l i s h language poets.
W h e n P a k i s t a n was e s t a b l i s h e d i n 1947, o n l y a few p o e t s
t h e r e w e r e w r i t i n g i n E n g l i s h . T h e best k n o w n o f these i n c l u d e d
S h a h i d S u h r a w a r d y (1890-1965) a n d A h m e d A l i (1910-94),
b o t h w i t h s t r o n g l i t e r a r y c o n n e c t i o n s i n t h e West. I n 1965, O x f o r d U n i v e r s i t y Press's g r o u n d - b r e a k i n g a n t h o l o g y First Voices: Six
Poets from Pakistan a p p e a r e d f r o m L a h o r e a n d f e a t u r e d p o e m s b y
o l d e r E n g l i s h - l a n g u a g e p o e t s s u c h as S u h r a w a r d y a n d A l i ,
b u t also a n u m b e r o f y o u n g e r w r i t e r s . First Voices: Six Poets from
Pakistan was f o l l o w e d b y Pieces of Eight: Eight Poets from Pakistan
( i g 7 i ) a n d Wordfall: Three Pakistani Poets (1975).
A m o n g t h e y o u n g p o e t s i n c l u d e d i n a l l t h r e e v o l u m e s was
T a u f i q R a f a t (b. 1927), w h o s e first c o l l e c t i o n , Arrival of the Monsoon: Collected Poems (1947-78),
a p p e a r e d i n 1985. H i s b l a n d l y
n a m e d A Selection i n this a n n i v e r s a r y series o f p o e t r y is d r a w n i n
ARIEL: A Revino of International English Literature, 29:1, January 1 9 9 8
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CARLO COPPOLA
the m a i n f r o m t h a t c o l l e c t i o n . Rafat's p o e m s a r e s t u d i e s i n
contrasts. T h e y a r e o f t e n f u l l o f r o b u s t , m a n l y a c t i v i t i e s , s u c h as
h u n t i n g , p o l o , soccer, a n d m o u n t a i n h i k i n g ; yet t h e y r e f l e c t a
profound, refined appreciation o f nature. In " P o e m for Fauzia"
( t o ) , f o r e x a m p l e , the s p e a k e r states t h a t (s)he revels i n "the
l a v i s h n e s s o f N a t u r e . " I n d e e d , the m a n y facets o f n a t u r e , espec i a l l y l a n d s c a p e a n d w e a t h e r , are d o m i n a n t i m a g e s i n these
p o e m s . R a f a t also fills t h e m , e s p e c i a l l y t h o s e f r o m h i s e a r l y
period, with a veritable menagerie o f animals: ducks a n d birds o f
every variety: geese, k i n g f i s h e r s , kites, s p a r r o w s , p i g e o n s , part r i d g e s , g u l l s , eagles, h e r o n s , to n a m e a few; a n d o t h e r a n i m a l s as
w e l l : s n o w l e o p a r d s , fireflies, goats, h o r s e s , d o g s , snakes, fish, a n d
cicadas. W i t h such a p r e p o n d e r a n c e o f a n d affection for animals
i n h i s p o e t r y , it is n o t s u r p r i s i n g t h a t R a f a t s h o u l d w r i t e " S a c r i f i c e "
(14), a s t r i k i n g p o e m c e n t r i n g o n the r i t u a l s a c r i f i c e o f a g o a t
w h e n the f o u n d a t i o n o f a h o u s e is b e i n g d u g so t h a t " a l l w h o
d w e l l h e r e / M a y b e b l e s s e d . " T h e s p e a k e r is r e p u l s e d , q u e s t i o n i n g the r e l i g i o u s i m p o r t a n d efficacy o f s u c h a n act, o b j e c t i n g to
c h i l d r e n w a t c h i n g it, a n d finally a s s e r t i n g t h a t w i t h s u c h a s a c r i fice "We a r e n o t l a y i n g t h e f o u n d a t i o n s o f a h o u s e , / B u t a n o t h e r
D a c h a u . " H u m a n s ' t r e a t m e n t o f a n i m a l s f u n c t i o n s as a m e t a p h o r f o r the way p e o p l e t r e a t e a c h o t h e r — i n v a r i a b l y p o o r l y .
T h e r e is also a m a r k e d d i f f e r e n c e i n the a f f e c t i o n w i t h w h i c h
h e d e s c r i b e s P a k i s t a n ' s h i g h c o u n t r y a n d the d i s a f f e c t i o n —
i n d e e d , n e a r c o n t e m p t — h e h e a p s u p o n its p l a i n s a n d seaside.
T h e two p o e m s a b o u t K a r a c h i ( " K a r a c h i , 1955" 1; " K a r a c h i
1968" 9) offer scant p r a i s e to this d r a b , o v e r c r o w d e d , d i r t y
m e t r o p o l i s . B y c o n t r a s t , " A P o s i t i v e R e g i o n " (2-3) is a p a e a n to
P a k i s t a n ' s f o o t h i l l s a n d m o u n t a i n s , a n d t h e i r i n h a b i t a n t s . T h i s is
"a p o s i t i v e r e g i o n . . . S m o t h e r e d / B y c o n f i d e n t p i n e s , a n d
b u r s t i n g o v e r / W i t h g r e e n s p r i n g s at every n o o k / . . . A s f r e s h as
a n e w l y - m i n t e d c o i n . " T h e inhabitants are e q u a l l y beautiful:
" T h e M r . U n i v e r s e calves / O f t h e h i l l f o l k i n v i t e envy," " A n d the
w o m e n / N e e d n o b r a s s i è r e s . " It is w i t h r e g r e t t h a t the s p e a k e r
m u s t leave s u c h a p l a c e to k e e p a n a p p o i n t m e n t o n t h e p l a i n s ,
n o t i n g w i t h sadness as ( s ) h e a p p r o a c h e s t h e l o w c o u n t r y t h a t
" T h e t a l l p i n e s h a v e d w i n d l e d to s h r u b s . "
Rafat's m a s t e r y o f p o e t i c f o r m is p e r h a p s best s h o w n i n the
p o e m " L o n e l i n e s s " (44-45), o n e o f s e v e r a l d i s t i n c t i v e p o e m s i n
P O E T R Y F R O M PAKISTAN
205
this c o l l e c t i o n . A b r i l l i a n t c o n c a t e n a t i o n o f s t r i k i n g m e t a p h o r s
s t r e t c h e d o v e r s i x t e e n tercets, the p o e m a t t e m p t s to d e f i n e l o n e l i n e s s . Rafat e v e n m a n a g e s to m i x i n a v i v i d , i f r e p u l s i v e , s i m i l e
w i t h the first m e t a p h o r s :
Loneliness means impenetrable walls
streaked with betel-juice and snot,
and a single skylight, high up,
through which the air dribbles in
like saliva from an old man's mouth.
H e c o n c l u d e s that l o n e l i n e s s
Is an innocence gone forever,
a rebirth; it is a blinking of eyes
in the hard light of the sun.
L o n e l i n e s s a n d a b a n d o n m e n t are also the themes o f " C o m a "
(47), a p o e m o n d e a t h o f the p e r s o n a ' s — t h e p o e t ' s ? — f a t h e r .
S i t t i n g at the f a t h e r ' s d e a t h b e d , t h e s p e a k e r is r e l i e v e d w h e n a
n e p h e w h u r r i e s i n to r e l i e v e h i m / h e r . ( S ) h e tries to b l u n t the
p a i n o f this loss s a y i n g
. . . it is better
someone further removed should be here
when, when with a final soft tug,
the imperturbable hand comes clear.
S i m i l a r l y , " P o e m s f o r a Y o u n g e r B r o t h e r 1930-1979" (54-65),
a series o f e l e v e n p o e m s , is a t h r e n o d y o n t h e d e a t h o f the
s p e a k e r ' s ( a g a i n , the p o e t ' s ? ) b r o t h e r . T h e d e a d b r o t h e r was
Indestructible, I thought.
Younger but tougher,
always bullying your brother.
The uncles called you bulldog.
H e is p o r t r a y e d as " T a l l j u s t m a n / w i t h t h e r o u g h e x t e r i o r .
O p t i m i s t . " T h u s it is w i t h o p t i m i s m t h a t the b r o t h e r goes to
L o n d o n f o r a n o p e r a t i o n f o r c a n c e r . T h e p a r t i n g at the a i r p o r t is
e s p e c i a l l y p o i g n a n t , w i t h t h e speaker, c a u g h t b e t w e e n the d e s i r e
n o t to b e t o o e m o t i o n a l f o r fear o f u p s e t t i n g h i s b r o t h e r , a n d the
r e a l i z a t i o n o f a p r o f o u n d loss. T h e s p e a k e r is m i r e d i n the m a c h o
b r a v a d o t h a t " r e a l m e n d o n ' t cry," y e t r e a l i z e s t h a t h e is s e e i n g h i s
b r o t h e r f o r t h e last t i m e :
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I rehearse
a smile at a passing stranger, but tears
are knocking hard at the back of my eyes.
I wander off towards the canteen gates
pretending I am out of cigarettes,
and let the tears come. A n d then I pretend
a mote of dust is making my eyes hurt.
Having no handkerchief, I pull the shirtend from my trousers and use them freely.
Soon, I am a man again.
T h e s h i r t r e a p p e a r s as a m a j o r i m a g e l a t e r as t h e s p e a k e r c o m e s
to t e r m s w i t h h i s loss w h e n t h e b r o t h e r ' s wife gives h i m o n e o f t h e
b r o t h e r ' s o l d shirts:
He was tall and heavy.
The shirt hangs loosely
on my smaller frame,
but where it touches the skin
it will not be shaken free.
Rafat, w h o m m a n y c o n s i d e r P a k i s t a n ' s p r e m i e r E n g l i s h l a n g u a g e p o e t , writes p o e t r y t h a t is f u l l - b o d i e d a n d r i c h , d i r e c t
a n d r e a d i l y a c c e s s i b l e to t h e r e a d e r ' s s e n s i b i l i t i e s , a n d d e v o i d o f
excessive a r t i f i c e . H i s is a p o e t r y t h a t l i n k s S u h r a w a r d y , A l i , a n d
o t h e r o l d e r P a k i s t a n i w r i t e r s t o s u c h y o u n g e r v o i c e s as A d r i a n A .
Husain, Salman Tarik Kureshi, a n d A l a m g i r H a s h m i .
A n o t h e r similar l i n k between the o l d e r a n d the y o u n g e r poets
is D a u d K a m a l (1935-87). C o n s p i c u o u s l y a b s e n t i n a l l t h r e e
O x f o r d U n i v e r s i t y Press a n t h o l o g i e s , K a m a l , a y o u n g e r c o n t e m p o r a r y o f Rafat, was f o r m a n y years C h a i r o f E n g l i s h at P e s h a w a r
U n i v e r s i t y . E d u c a t e d i n P e s h a w a r a n d C a m b r i d g e , h e is t h e
a u t h o r o f t h r e e c o l l e c t i o n s . T h e p r o s a i c a l l y t i t l e d A Selection of
Verse i n this c u r r e n t series d r a w s f r o m these t h r e e v o l u m e s a n d
f r o m a n u m b e r o f p r e v i o u s l y u n p u b l i s h e d w o r k s . I n his i n t r o d u c t i o n t o this v o l u m e , w h i c h also features a n e x t e n s i v e b i b l i o g r a p h y
o n K a m a l , T a r i q R a h m a n i n c i s i v e l y suggests t h a t this p o e t r y is
best v i e w e d i n t h e I m a g i s t t r a d i t i o n (v). T h e y a r e m o s t o f t h e m
c o n c i s e , o f t e n n o s t a l g i c , s o m e t i m e s i r o n i c . I n t e r m s o f style, t h e n ,
K a m a l ' s p o e m s d i f f e r m a r k e d l y f r o m Rafat's.
K a m a l possesses a u n i q u e sense o f h i s t o r y a n d r e c o g n i z e s t h e
n e e d for a n a r t i s t — a n d i n d e e d a c o u n t r y — t o c o n n e c t with the
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P O E T R Y F R O M PAKISTAN
past. A s i f to c o n t r a d i c t the n o t i o n t h a t P a k i s t a n c a m e i n t o b e i n g
o n l y i n 1947, h e l i n k s this p r e s e n t - d a y
c o u n t r y to the
rich,
i l l u s t r i o u s h i s t o r y o f the a r e a P a k i s t a n n o w o c c u p i e s a n d insists
t h a t we r e c o g n i z e the c o n t i n u i t y a n d c o m m o n a l i t i e s b e t w e e n
n o w a n d t h e n . F o r e x a m p l e , the p e r i o d o f the f l o u r i s h i n g c u l t u r e
o f H a r a p p a a n d M o h e n j o - D a r o , w h i c h dates b a c k to
perhaps
4,000-2,000 B C E , is e v o k e d i n the p o e m " T h e P l o u g h a n d the
O x e n " (13), w h e r e " T h e sweat o f m a n a n d a n i m a l / s i n k s i n t o
the m o i s t e a r t h " a n d a t h o u s a n d years later, "they d i g u p
o f gods /
a n d goddesses
a n d a baked-clay j a r /
figurines
half full o f
b l a c k e n e d wheat."
S i m i l a r l y , i n " T h e L e a p " ( 14), we are t r a n s p o r t e d to t h e f o u r t h
c e n t u r y B C E , w h e n A l e x a n d e r the G r e a t " l e a p t o v e r the I n d u s
h e r e / o r so the s t o r y t e l l e r s say," to h e a r " i n r a p t a t t e n t i o n " t a l k
of immortality from a n a k e d sadhu sitting i n a grove o f m a n g o
trees. T h e p o e m i r o n i c a l l y j u x t a p o s e s the i m m o r t a l i t y A l e x a n d e r
s o u g h t a n d t h a t o f a n o t h e r k i n d o f f e r e d by the s a d h u . O t h e r
p o e m s assert P a k i s t a n ' s c o n n e c t i o n w i t h the B u d d h a (1, 15),
I n d i a ' s m i g h t y K i n g P o r u s (16), a n d the g r e a t M u g h a l e m p e r o r s (1), b u t also w i t h m a n y lesser folk: " p r o f e s s i o n a l m o u r n e r s ,
premature
archaeologists"
(19), "a w i d e - e y e d l i t t l e b o y i n
y e l l o w s o c k s / c r a c k [ i n g ] w a l n u t s " a n d a "fat o l d w h o r e - t u r n e d m i d w i f e " (35), to m e n t i o n o n l y a few.
T o h i s a c u t e h i s t o r i c a l awareness, K a m a l , l i k e Rafat, fuses a
d e e p a p p r e c i a t i o n f o r the r u g g e d n a t u r a l b e a u t y o f h i s c o u n t r y ,
e s p e c i a l l y the b a r r e n a n d g l a c i a l m o u n t a i n a r e a f r o m w h i c h h e
h a i l s , a n d t h e p e o p l e w h o i n h a b i t this s p a c e . A s majestic
as
m o u n t a i n s a n d r i v e r s c a n b e , t h e y c a n also b e t r e a c h e r o u s a n d
t h r e a t e n i n g , as i n " F l o o d s , " w h e r e we are a s k e d h o w o n e c a n
" f o r g i v e / t h e t r e a c h e r y / o f b l i n d r i v e r s " t h a t destroys t h e f u t u r e
o f a b r i d e - t o - b e w h o has l o s t h e r d o w r y " a n d a s a c k f u l o f e x p e n sive r i c e " (37). A n d f o r t h o s e w h o w o u l d seek s o l a c e i n r e l i g i o n ,
we a r e r e m i n d e d that " P r a y e r s / d o n o t w o r k / at t i m e s / s u c h as
t h e s e " ( " A N a r r o w V a l l e y " 23). U l t i m a t e l y , a sense o f o m i n o u s
f o r e b o d i n g , m o t t l e d w i t h sadness, p e r v a d e s these p o e m s . I n d e e d , o n e c a n r e a d K a m a l ' s p o e t r y as a k i n d o f " p r i m o r d i a l
s c r i p t u r e o f a p e o p l e b e t r a y e d " (12), n o t o n l y by k i n g s a n d
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CARLO COPPOLA
priests, b u t by the w e a t h e r , g e o g r a p h y , h i s t o r y , f o r e i g n e r s , a n d
m o s t t r e a c h e r o u s l y by e a c h o t h e r .
T r e a c h e r y a n d betrayal also constitute major themes i n the
p o e t r y o f M a k i K u r e i s h i , ( 1 9 2 7 - 9 5 ) , w h o s e The Far Thing b r i n g s
t o g e t h e r i n o n e p l a c e f o r the first t i m e h e r w o r k w r i t t e n o v e r
t h r e e d e c a d e s . A P a r s i b y b i r t h , e d u c a t e d at S m i t h C o l l e g e (class
o f 1950), a n d m a r r i e d to a M u s l i m , s h e t a u g h t E n g l i s h at t h e
University o f K a r a c h i . S o m e o f h e r earliest p o e m s a p p e a r e d i n
Wordfall. T h e d i s t i n g u i s h e d B r i t i s h s c h o l a r , p o e t , a n d
former
e d i t o r o f Encounter m a g a z i n e , A n t h o n y T h w a i t e , has r e m a r k e d
( o n the d u s t j a c k e t o f The Far Thing) t h a t K u r e i s h i writes
finely
c o n t r o l l e d free verse t h a t is " t e n d e r a n d sensitive b u t also u n s e n t i m e n t a l l y s h a r p . " T h i s s h a r p n e s s is r e f l e c t e d i n a p e r v a s i v e sense
of violence i n m a n y o f h e r poems, v i o l e n c e often s t e m m i n g f r o m
t h e r e a l - l i f e p o l i t i c a l a n d s o c i a l u n r e s t t h a t has b e e n a m a j o r
p a r t o f d a i l y l i f e i n P a k i s t a n s i n c e its i n c e p t i o n . P o e m s s u c h as
" S n i p e r s i n K a r a c h i " ( 15), " E l e g y f o r K a r a c h i " (16), a n d " C u r f e w
S u m m e r " (19) o f f e r g r a p h i c s k e t c h e s o f o r d i n a r y , p e o p l e l i v i n g
u n d e r s u c h stressful c i r c u m s t a n c e s , w h e n " N o o n e d a r e w a l k
n e x t d o o r " ( 19) f o r fear o f b e i n g " t r a p p e d i n c r o s s f i r e / . . . by
k i l l e r s w h o a r e h a l f - m a c h i n e / a n d p r a y five t i m e s " (16).
P e r h a p s m o r e e x p l i c i t t h a n m o s t o t h e r w r i t e r s i n this series,
K u r e i s h i u n d e r s c o r e s t h e t u g a n d p u l l , i n d e e d , the a l i e n a t i o n ,
e x p e r i e n c e d b y p e o p l e w h o possess m o d e r n , e n l i g h t e n e d w o r l d
views, yet l i v e i n a h i g h l y t r a d i t i o n a l , a l b e i t r a p i d l y c h a n g i n g ,
s o c i e t y w h e r e d o m i n a n t v a l u e s a r e r a d i c a l l y d i f f e r e n t a n d very
slow to c h a n g e . T h e d i l e m m a t h u s p o s e d is e x p l i c a t e d i n p e r h a p s
h e r m o s t f a m o u s p o e m , " K i t t e n s " (7-8). T h e s p e a k e r b l u n t l y
states " T h e r e a r e t o o m a n y k i t t e n s " as a r e s u l t o f the f a m i l y cat's
m o s t r e c e n t litter. T w o s o l u t i o n s are p o s s i b l e : o n t h e o n e h a n d ,
My relations say:
Take them to a bazaar
and let them go
each to its fate . . .
If they survive the dogs,
they will starve gently,
squealing a little less
each day;
P O E T R Y F R O M PAKISTAN
209
o n the o t h e r h a n d ,
The European thing to do
is drown them.
Warm water
is advised to lessen the shock. . . .
They are blind and will never know
you did this.
T h e s p e a k e r e x p e r i e n c e s a d i l e m m a : " S n a g g e d / b y two c u l t u r e s ,
w h i c h / shall I choose?"
In an i n t r o d u c t i o n w h i c h veritably crackles with postmodernist
c r i t i c a l t h e o r y , A d r i a n A . H u s a i n feels t h a t " K i t t e n s " is "a l i t t l e t o o
e x p l i c i t i n its i n t e n t a n d r i g i d l y p a r a d i g m a t i c to b e e n t i r e l y
s u c c e s s f u l , " a n d suggests t h a t " w h i l e this p o e m u n d o u b t e d l y
possesses c o n s i d e r a b l e p o w e r , this is m o r e b y w a y o f r h e t o r i c t h a n
p o e t r y " ( v i i i ) . S o m e — I a m o n g t h e m — take issue w i t h this assessm e n t o f the p o e m .
Some o f Kureishi's most powerful poems deal with h u m a n
i l l n e s s . I n t h a t she h e r s e l f was a v i c t i m o f severe r h e u m a t o i d
a r t h r i t i s m o s t o f h e r l i f e , it is n o t s u r p r i s i n g t h a t she treats s u c h
t h e m e s i n s o m e o f h e r best p o e m s . M o r e o v e r , t h e o p e n i n g p o e m
i n this v o l u m e , " A r t h r i t i c H a n d s " (1) assumes a d d i t i o n a l a u t o biographical significance:
One is rolled into a fist
permanently,
though two fingers can still twitch,
bent like spider's legs.
The left, stretched out full length,
is empty,
unable to hold. If the crook fingers
tangle or viciously clutch,
it unhooks them gently
disarming pain.
So I lodge between
one that may not accept
even grace,
and the other that lets
nothing escape.
O t h e r p o e m s o n this t h e m e s e e m to s p r i n g f r o m the i n t i m a t e
k n o w l e d g e a n d first-hand e x p e r i e n c e w i t h s u c h p h y s i c a l sufferi n g a n d p a i n , w h i c h invoke a range o f reactions from different
210
CARLO COPPOLA
p e o p l e , e v e r y t h i n g f r o m o u t r i g h t d i s g u s t to p a t r o n i z i n g s y m pathy. K u r e i s h i s e e m s to b e s u g g e s t i n g t h a t m o s t p e o p l e are
u n a b l e to e m p a t h i z e t r u l y w i t h s u c h severe c h r o n i c p a i n u n l e s s
t h e y h a v e s u f f e r e d it t h e m s e l v e s . K u r e i s h i ' s p o e t r y m a k e s a d i r e c t
a p p e a l to the r e a d e r , u n f e t t e r e d by o v e r - i n t e l l e c t u a l i z a t i o n , selfc o n s c i o u s n e s s , o r p o s t u r i n g . It is c h a r a c t e r i z e d by r i c h , v i v i d
images, w h i c h can entice o r revolt, d e p e n d i n g o n the author's
i n t e n t , a n d a fluent, c o l l o q u i a l q u a l i t y t h a t s h i n e s f o r t h , espec i a l l y w h e n h e r p o e t r y is r e a d a l o u d .
S a l m a n T a r i k K u r e s h i (b. 1942) shares w i t h K u r e i s h i a p e n c h a n t f o r t h e m e s a b o u t t h e d i v i d e d self a n d p o s t c o l o n i a l r o o t lessness. B o r n o f a n A u s t r a l i a n m o t h e r ( K a s h m i r i - G e r m a n ) a n d
P a k i s t a n i father, h e was e d u c a t e d at G o v e r n m e n t C o l l e g e ,
L a h o r e , a n d l a t e r at t h e L o n d o n S c h o o l o f E c o n o m i c s . A b u s i ness e x e c u t i v e , h e travels w i d e l y t h r o u g h o u t t h e w o r l d , a n d m a n y
o f these v e n u e s a r e r e f l e c t e d i n t h e p o e t r y . I n 1979, w i t h H u s a i n ,
he f o u n d e d " M i x e d Voices," a m u l t i l i n g u a l f o r u m for poetry a n d
c r e a t i v e w r i t i n g i n K a r a c h i . H i s w o r k s a p p e a r e d i n Pieces of Eight:
Eight Poets from Pakistan a n d e l s e w h e r e ; a n d h i s Landscapes of the
Mind consists o f p o e m s w r i t t e n o v e r a t h i r t y - y e a r p e r i o d .
I n his i n t r o d u c t i o n to this v o l u m e , K a l e e m u r R a h m a n asserts
t h a t K u r e s h i ' s p o e t r y "has a d i f f e r e n t c h a r a c t e r f r o m t h a t o f
o t h e r P a k i s t a n i p o e t s " ( v i i ) , a d i f f e r e n c e d u e p e r h a p s to h i s
" m i x e d d e s c e n t " t h a t gives h i m a c o m m a n d o f E n g l i s h " l i k e t h a t
o f a n a t i v e s p e a k e r o f t h e l a n g u a g e . " R a h m a n f u r t h e r suggests
t h a t s o m e t i m e s " i n s e n t i m e n t , t o o , h i s p o e t r y is c u r i o u s l y E n g lish" (vii), c i t i n g o n e o f the most arresting p o e m s i n the collect i o n , " A B e t t e r M a n t h a n I," as a n e x a m p l e . K u r e s h i ' s p o e t r y
o f t e n d o e s possess a n easy, f l o w i n g , c o l l o q u i a l q u a l i t y , w h i c h
m i g h t b e a t t r i b u t a b l e to E n g l i s h l e a r n e d f r o m h i s m o t h e r . H o w ever, I fail to see t h e " c u r i o u s l y E n g l i s h " s e n t i m e n t R a h m a n
speaks o f i n the p o e m s , i n c l u d i n g " A B e t t e r M a n t h a n I," subt i t l e d " S i x P o e m s f o r K i p l i n g . " R a h m a n states t h a t i n t h i s p o e m
K u r e s h i s h o w s "great a f f e c t i o n f o r K i p l i n g a n d e v e n a p p e a r s to
i d e n t i f y w i t h h i m " ( v i i ) . T h i s is a c u r i o u s r e a d i n g i f n o t a o u t r i g h t
m i s r e a d i n g o f the p o e m . I n " A B e t t e r M a n t h a n I," w h i c h o f
c o u r s e plays o f f t h e r e f r a i n o f K i p l i n g ' s " G u n g a D i n , " t h e p e r s o n a
o f t h e p o e m addresses the p o e t o f E m p i r e , trussed u p i n a waist-
P O E T R Y E R O M PAKISTAN
211
c o a t a n d w a t c h c h a i n , b y h i s g i v e n n a m e : " R u d y a r d , tell m e /
what woad-daubed, hide-clad shaman / l u r k e d beneath your
s k i n ? " (3). T h i s is o n e o f t h r e e a l l u s i o n s i n the p o e m to the b l u e s m e a r e d D r u i d a n c e s t o r s o f the B r i t i s h " w h o ate r a w b e e f / a n d
r o a r e d f o r b e e r s e r v e d i n the s k u l l s / o f e n e m i e s . " (5). T h e
i m p l i c a t i o n h e r e is t h a t w h e n t h e B r i t i s h w e r e savages p a i n t i n g
t h e i r b o d i e s b l u e , the g r e a t I n d u s V a l l e y c i v i l i z a t i o n h a d a l r e a d y
r i s e n a n d f a l l e n , as d i d several o f t h e I n d o - A r y a n d y n a s t i e s t h a t
f o l l o w e d . T h e B r i t i s h p r e s e n c e i n I n d i a t h e n was n o t w h a t the
B r i t i s h s a i d it was. I n spite o f a p o l o g i s t s f o r the E m p i r e , s u c h as
K i p l i n g a n d others like h i m , despite B r i t i s h talk o f t h e i r "miss i o n " (3), a n d r e g a r d l e s s o f B r i t i s h " d e s t i n y . . . / y o u r k i n d ' s
a p p o i n t e d b u r d e n , " t h i n g s h a v e c h a n g e d . T h e use o f the w o r d
" b u r d e n " h e r e is p a r t i c u l a r l y e v o c a t i v e , m a k i n g t h e self-serving,
grandiose claims o f Kipling's most famous p o e m , "The White
M a n ' s B u r d e n " (1899), s e e m r i s i b l e , i f n o t p a t h e t i c , f r o m a late
twentieth-century perspective.
I n L a h o r e today, " ( w h e r e / i n v a d e r s p a u s e d / by the b a n k s o f
the R a v i , assessed / t h e k i n g d o m ' s d e f e n c e s / a n d l e a p e d ) , "
"Japanese cars w i t h t i n t e d w i n d s c r e e n s a n d s t e r e o s o u n d systems
/ o u t n u m b e r the t o n g a s we k n e w , " a n d "the R a v i itself r u n s
l o w e r " (5). T h e p h r a s e " t o n g a s we k n e w " p e r h a p s suggests a b i t
o f n o s t a l g i a K u r e s h i shares w i t h K i p l i n g , b u t , to m y t h i n k i n g ,
c e r t a i n l y n o t a "great a f f e c t i o n " o n w h i c h R a h m a n insists i n his
introduction. Indeed, "Frozen prawns a n d c o l o u r e d television,"
"jet p l a n e s a n d m o t o r c y c l e s , " "the r e e k o f d i e s e l o i l " r a t h e r t h a n
R i p l i n g e s q u e " c o v e r e d s p i c e bazaars / o r b u b b l i n g s a m o v a r s o f
j a s m i n e tea" (7) c o n s t i t u t e the s o u n d s a n d s m e l l s o f K a r a c h i
today. T h e s p e a k e r n o t e s ,
. . . the tides changed.
T h e tides receded, leaving
empty shells and curious objects
for boys to p o n d e r . . .
leaving finally
you, Rudyard,
and I. (8)
T h i s p o e m is a b o u t c h a n g e , its u n p r e d i c t a b i l i t y a n d its i n e v itability, a n d t h e f o l l y o f t h o s e w h o d e n y o r try to s t o p it. O f f e r i n g
c o n t r a s t s b e t w e e n K i p l i n g ' s I n d i a a n d K u r e s h i ' s P a k i s t a n , the
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CARIO COPPOLA
p o e m i m p l i e s t h a t the w h o l e o f B r i t a i n ' s h i s t o r i c a l p r e s e n c e i n
S o u t h A s i a — " e m p t y shells a n d c u r i o u s objects"—must seem
t o d a y to a l l b u t the m o s t h i d e b o u n d a n "empty," " c u r i o u s " enterp r i s e . E q u a l l y c u r i o u s is K u r e s h i ' s use o f t h e u n g r a m m a t i c a l " I " at
the e n d o f the p o e m . I r e a d this as the a u t h o r ' s r e p u d i a t i o n o f
B r i t i s h l i n g u i s t i c r e c t i t u d e , a n d a v a l i d a t i o n o f the f l u i d , f l e x i b l e
E n g l i s h l a n g u a g e f o u n d i n p a r t s o f the w o r l d o t h e r t h a n B r i t a i n .
It m i g h t also b e c o n s t r u e d as a s y m b o l i c q u a l i f i c a t i o n , i f n o t o u t a n d - o u t r e j e c t i o n , o f his A n g l o - S a x o n h e r i t a g e .
K u r e s h i ' s p o e t r y t h e n a t t e m p t s to r e c o n c i l e , to c o n n e c t o p posites. H i s l a n g u a g e a n d i m a g e r y a r e a t h o u g h t f u l b l e n d o f
b r a w n a n d sinew, d e l i c a c y a n d g r a c e . T h e l a n d s c a p e s h e p r e s e n t s
r e a d e r s a r e as m u c h p h y s i c a l as m e n t a l a n d e m o t i o n a l , p a r t
u n c o n s c i o u s a n d p a r t c o n s c i o u s . H i s is a d i s t i n c t i v e v o i c e t h a t
seeks to r e s o l v e the d i l e m m a s o f East a n d West, o f t h e n a n d n o w ,
o f b o t h i n t e r n a l a n d e x t e r n a l w o r l d s . R e a d i n g his p o e t r y , o n e
m a y r e l i s h the b e a u t y o f the p h y s i c a l l a n d s c a p e s h e offers, b u t o n
t h e m e n t a l a n d e m o t i o n a l l a n d s c a p e s h e serves, we m a y feast.
T h o u g h A d r i a n A . H u s a i n was b o m i n 1942 i n K a n p u r , I n d i a ,
h e r e c e i v e d m o s t o f h i s s c h o o l i n g i n E n g l a n d , Italy, a n d Switzerl a n d ; as a r e s u l t h e speaks s e v e r a l E u r o p e a n l a n g u a g e s , i n c l u d i n g R u s s i a n . H e s t u d i e d E n g l i s h at N e w C o l l e g e , O x f o r d , a n d
r e c e i v e d a P h D i n E n g l i s h f r o m the U n i v e r s i t y o f East A n g l i a .
W h i l e still i n h i s twenties, H u s a i n p u b l i s h e d i n O x f o r d U n i v e r s i t y
Press's Pieces of Eight: Eight Poets from Pakistan. I n 1979, t o g e t h e r
with K u r e s h i , he f o u n d e d " M i x e d Voices" a n d r e m a i n e d with the
g r o u p u n t i l 1983 (as was n o t e d a b o v e ) . H u s a i n a l s o a c t e d as
e d i t o r i a l c o n s u l t a n t f o r this e n t i r e series.
Desert Album is H u s a i n ' s first c o l l e c t i o n o f p o e m s , a n d , i n
w h a t is p r o b a b l y t h e best i n t r o d u c t i o n to a n y v o l u m e i n this
series, T a l a a t M o r e a u n o t e s that this p o e t , d e s p i t e h i s u n i q u e —
o r what some m i g h t even c o n s i d e r his enviable, elite E u r o p e a n
u p b r i n g i n g — i s a "wanderer," a " n o m a d " s e a r c h i n g for his roots,
f o r his "identity, f o r b e i n g a n d b e l o n g i n g " ( v i i ) . M o r e a u d i v i d e s
H u s a i n ' s works into three b r o a d poetic categories: p o e m s about
a n i m a l s , w h i c h H u s a i n s e e m s to s h a r e w i t h Rafat, p o e m s a b o u t
the b u r i e d past, a n d p o e m s a b o u t l i v i n g h u m a n b e i n g s , m a n y o f
w h o m suffer v i o l e n t d e a t h s . Y e t u n l i k e the o t h e r p o e t s i n this
P O E T R Y FROM PAKISTAN
213
series w h o have s p e n t t h e i r m o s t f o r m a t i v e years i n P a k i s t a n ,
w h e t h e r i n its m o u n t a i n s o r o n its p l a i n s , H u s a i n , w h o has l i v e d
m a n y years o f h i s y o u t h a b r o a d , is f a s c i n a t e d w i t h , p e r h a p s e v e n
fixated u p o n , P a k i s t a n ' s d e s e r t areas. H e n c e , the d e s e r t serves as
a m a j o r i m a g e i n m a n y o f h i s m o s t i m p o r t a n t p o e m s a n d is also a
p a r t o f the title o f this c o l l e c t i o n .
A s w i t h Rafat's p o e t r y , o n e is i m m e d i a t e l y s t r u c k by the p r e p o n d e r a n c e o f a n i m a l i m a g e r y i n Desert Album. " K a s h m i r i R u g " (28)
veritably "Bristles with animals," " i n d e l i b l e birds," a m o u n t a i n goat, a h o o p o e , a n d a j a c k a l . " G o a t " ( 10), r e m i n i s c e n t o f Rafat's
" S a c r i f i c e , " c o n t r a s t s t h e f r e e d o m o f the a n i m a l i n the d e s e r t w i t h
t h e way it is t h e n c o n f i n e d i n g a r d e n , w h e r e , " T i e d to a tree / h e
i n v e n t s f r e e d o m . " D u p l i c i t o u s l y , "we a p p r o a c h / a n d c r a d l e h i m
l o v i n g l y , " n o t o u t o f l o v e b u t to u n c o v e r its t h r o a t f o r s a c r i f i c e .
I r o n i c a l l y , the s a c r i f i c e s e e m s f u t i l e a n d w o r t h l e s s , f o r the e a r t h ,
w h i c h soaks u p the b l o o d , is " U n a p p e a s e d . "
" T h e P r a y i n g M a n t i s " (7) m a y b e r e a d as a m e t a p h o r f o r
H u s a i n ' s sense o f d e r a c i n a t i o n . T h e s p e a k e r , " f r o m d e v o u t n e s s /
s h o t w i t h g u i l t a n d fear," p l u c k s t h e a n i m a l , its "forelegs / d e v o t i o n a l , " f r o m a n a c a c i a tree a n d "stow[s] h i m , b e t w e e n m y c i g a rettes." A t h o m e , o n a t a b l e , t h e s p e a k e r i n s p e c t s the c r e a t u r e ,
n o w d e a d , its legs " l i m p a n d c r u m p l e d , " n o t i n g t h a t " H e ' d l i v e d
as l o n g as h e was a b l e . " A s i f to a d m i t to h i s / h e r r o l e i n its d e m i s e ,
the s p e a k e r d o e s c o m e to the r e a l i z a t i o n t h a t
I s h o u l d have left h i m where he
was, h i n g e d to his acacia. T h e roughness
of the surface had suited h i m a n d might have h e l p e d
h i m be what he h a d wanted: bark or tree.
H u s a i n ' s p r e o c c u p a t i o n w i t h the b u r i e d past is s h o w n i n s e v e r a l
p o e m s , i n c l u d i n g the title p o e m f o r this v o l u m e , " D e s e r t A l b u m "
(2-4), a series o f t h r e e p o e m s e n t i t l e d " M a r b l e , " " C a r v i n g s , " a n d
" F o r b e a r s " ( s i c ) . T h e first is a m e d i t a t i o n o n t h e grave o f the
s p e a k e r ' s father. " H e r e f a t h e r m a k e s a h o m e / a m o n g g h e t t o e d
n e i g h b o u r s , / his gaze fixing / u p o n a d e s e r t o f d e a d . " T h e
speaker notes that
N o t h i n g disturbs
his fluent sleep i n marble
save for the headstone
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CARLO COPPOLA
. . . where the Holy Book opens
on a page bearing
the admonishment, 'Ye that reject faith . . ."
T h e a m b i g u i t y c r e a t e d i n the e n d i n g o f the p o e m a n d the
q u e s t i o n s p r o v o k e d a r e a l l i n t e n d e d to distress us. I n " C a r v i n g s , "
we a r e t o l d that the d e s e r t h o u s e s " H u n d r e d s o f years o l d /
r a d i a n t s a n d s t o n e t o m b s " a r e t h o s e o f the r i c h h o r s e m a n a n d the
m i g h t y a r c h e r . Y e t the d e s e r t a l s o offers r e s t i n g p l a c e s f o r h u m b l e r f o l k w h o have k n o w n s u f f e r i n g a n d a r e b u r i e d i n s i m p l e r ,
"lesser graves c l a m o u r i n g to be k n o w n / f o r t h e i r t r a c e r y / a m i d
silent insinuations o f thorn."
W h e n H u s a i n speaks o f t h e l i v i n g , M o r e a u notes, "it is i n
c o n j u n c t i o n with sickness a n d madness, a n d war a n d death, a n d
m o s t o f t e n u n n a t u r a l d e a t h " ( x i ) . H u s a i n ' s l i v i n g are a s u f f e r i n g ,
besieged lot, a n d perhaps the most besieged are those w h o d i e i n
t h e witless c r o s s f i r e o f p o l i t i c s . S e v e r a l p o e m s d e a l w i t h the
v i o l e n t d e m i s e o f p o l i t i c i a n s , s u c h as " T h e D e a t h o f M r s . G a n d h i "
(38) a n d " C a l v a r y M i s u n d e r s t o o d " (41), w r i t t e n o n the d e a t h o f
M i r Murtaza Bhutto, brother of then Prime Minister Benazir
B h u t t o , w h o was g u n n e d d o w n o u t s i d e his h o m e i n 1996. H u s a i n
calls h i m a " M a r t y r to n o k n o w n cause." T h e p o e m " F o r S r e b r e n i c a ' s D e a d " (40) speaks o f t h e e x h u m a t i o n o f mass graves o f
t h o s e c a u g h t u p i n the h o r r o r o f e t h n i c c l e a n s i n g , " C a s u a l t i e s o f
a s o m n o l e n c e , " w h o "are b r o u g h t u p to a i r / at last."
H u s a i n ' s is the p o e t r y o f q u e s t f o r i d e n t i t y a n d r o o t s . H i s
p o e m s are t h e m o d e r n e x p l o r a t i o n s o f t h e u n i v e r s a l t h e m e s o f
h u m a n isolation a n d alienation, webbed with illusions a n d death
p l a y e d o u t m e t a p h o r i c a l l y i n the h o t days a n d c o o l n i g h t s o f the
desert's browns, purples, a n d blacks. Swatches o f green — the
c o l o u r o f h o p e — a r e n o t p l e n t i f u l i n h i s p o e m s . P e r h a p s h e sees
the h u m a n c o n d i t i o n t o o c l e a r l y .
T h e most widely p u b l i s h e d a n d well-known English-language
p o e t f r o m P a k i s t a n is A l a m g i r H a s h m i , the a u t h o r o f n i n e c o l l e c t i o n s (the o n e u n d e r r e v i e w h e r e b e i n g his t e n t h ) , w h i c h have
a p p e a r e d i n the U K , the U S , a n d P a k i s t a n . W e l l k n o w n a n d w e l l
r e c e i v e d i n l i t e r a r y c i r c l e s o f several c o n t i n e n t s , H a s h m i writes
p o e m s , w h i c h , a c c o r d i n g to B r i t a i n ' s P o e t L a u r e a t e T e d H u g h e s
( o n the d u s t j a c k e t o f A Choice ofHashmi's Verse), "are a d e l i g h t —
215
P O E T R Y F R O M PAKISTAN
sinuous a n d assured, serious with a l i g h t t o u c h , full o f character,
s u r p r i s e , a u t h e n t i c i t y . " I n h i s i n t r o d u c t i o n to A Choice of Hashmi's
Verse, K e n G o o d w i n f u r t h e r suggests, q u i t e r i g h t l y i n m y view, that
H a s h m i m u s t be v i e w e d i n m i d - c a r e e r , as "a m a j o r w o r l d p o e t "
(v).
I n c o n t r a s t to t h e w o r k o f a l l t h e p r e v i o u s l y d i s c u s s e d poets,
m a n y o f H a s h m i ' s p o e m s a r e d i s t i n g u i s h e d by a n u n e a s y sense o f
i n c e r t i t u d e a b o u t the w o r l d . H e n c e , the r e a d e r is o f f e r e d o n l y
fleeting
glimpses or veiled hints o f H a s h m i ' s mental universe.
F o r e x a m p l e , o n e is s t r u c k by s u b j u n c t i v e v o i c e o f the first l i n e o f
t h e first p o e m , " G a m e a n d S u c h " ( 1 ) : "It m a y h a v e b e e n
a
M o n d a y m o r n i n g . " It m a y have b e e n a n o t h e r t i m e as w e l l ; the
p e r s o n a o f t h e p o e m d o e s n o t r e m e m b e r , a n d i n fact it m a y n o t
m a t t e r at a l l . H o w e v e r , this u n c e r t a i n t y is f u r t h e r e n h a n c e d b y
c o l l o c a t i o n s t h r o u g h o u t t h e p o e m s u c h as " f a l t e r i n g , " " r u m o r s , "
" f e i g n e d , " " w h i s p e r , " a n d " w a i t i n g . " T h i s p r o c e s s is r e p e a t e d i n
m a n y o t h e r p o e m s as w e l l .
I n a d d i t i o n to this tentativeness a n d i n d e t e r m i n a c y , H a s h m i
blends generous
portions of understated
whimsy and
gentle
i r o n y i n t o h i s o b s e r v a t i o n s a b o u t t h e h u m a n s p e c i e s . I n this
s e n s e , " A G i f t H o r s e " (3), p l a y i n g o f f the a d a g e " D o n ' t l o o k a gift
h o r s e i n the m o u t h , " is s o m e t h i n g o f a p r o t o t y p i c a l H a s h m i a n
p o e m : S o m e b o d y m u s t have
given it to someone;
only gifts and toys
can suffer
such love, such neglect,
soaked
in the wetness
of this lawn.
Cloth, or perhaps wood,
it is only that.
The hard and soft
is all the same.
Its owner,
the child, must be
asleep or have
found something else.
216
CARLO COPPOLA
I am unable
to make out
its beginnings
or end exactly:
the eyes are a blearyblack;
the mouth seems sealed
airtight
as if to lock out
a couple of proverbs.
I do not think
it will speak.
A v a g u e , i n c o n c l u s i v e " S o m e b o d y " m u s t have g i v e n it to a n
e q u a l l y vague, i n c o n c l u s i v e "someone," p r o n o u n s w h i c h are
u s e d r e p e a t e d l y i n m a n y o f t h e p o e m s . T h e p e r s o n a o f the p o e m
s p e c u l a t e s w i t h " m u s t h a v e " i n t e r m s o f w h o gave w h a t to w h o m ,
a n d the c h i l d w h o "must be / a s l e e p or have / f o u n d s o m e t h i n g
else." T h e m o u t h "seems s e a l e d . . . as if to l o c k o u t / a c o u p l e o f
p r o v e r b s . " R e f e r r i n g to the n e g l e c t e d toy h o r s e , t h e s p e a k e r
"doles] not think / it w i l l speak."
In additiorr, the j u x t a p o s i t i o n o f opposites, polarities, a n d
d o u b l e t s is also s t r i k i n g : " l o v e " a n d " n e g l e c t , " " C l o t h " a n d
" w o o d , " " h a r d a n d soft," " a s l e e p " a n d "have / f o u n d s o m e t h i n g
else," "eyes" a n d " m o u t h , " " t h i n k " a n d "speak." T h e r e a r e i m p l i e d e x t r e m e s as w e l l : the c o n d i t i o n o f the h o r s e w h e n it was a
n e w gift a n d its p r e s e n t c o n d i t i o n , the c h i l d w h o r e c e i v e d t h e gift
a n d the a d u l t w h o gave it ( p o s s i b l y the p e r s o n a o f t h e p o e m — a
p a r e n t ? ) , the a d a g e ( o n e o f the " p r o v e r b s " o f t h e last stanza?)
a b o u t n o t l o o k i n g gift h o r s e s i n the m o u t h a n d the r e a l i t y t h a t
i n d e e d t h e c h i l d has d o n e so, e v e n t h o u g h "the m o u t h s e e m s
s e a l e d / a i r t i g h t . " I n the e n d , this p o e m a n d o t h e r s i n the v o l u m e
leave the r e a d e r w i t h c o n t r a d i c t i o n s a n d c o n f u t a t i o n , a n d the
r e a l i z a t i o n that, i n spite o f p r o v e r b s a n d adages, we h u m a n s
persist o n l y i n p a y i n g t h e m l i p service b u t d o n o t a b i d e by t h e m .
H e n c e , t h e w o r l d i n H a s h m i ' s p o e t i c view, as G o o d w i n n o t e s , is
"disorderly, unpredictable . . . where expectation, hope, a n d
d i s a p p o i n t m e n t all seem equally likely" (vii). T h e uncertainty,
t h e n , is o f o u r o w n m a k i n g .
S h u j a N a w a z s h a r e s w i t h H u s a i n w h a t K h a l e d A h m e d calls i n
his t r e n c h a n t , h a r d - h i t t i n g i n t r o d u c t i o n to Journeys the " h y b r i d
P O E T R Y F R O M PAKISTAN
217
life i n a n i n t e r n a t i o n a l e n v i r o n m e n t " ( i x ) . B o r n a n d r e a r e d i n
Pothowar, a r e g i o n i n the rough-and-tumble J h e l u m River area i n
n o r t h e a s t P a k i s t a n , N a w a z i m m i g r a t e d to t h e U S . H e n o w w o r k s
f o r the I M F i n W a s h i n g t o n , D C , a n d lives, a n d writes poetry, i n
s u b u r b a n A l e x a n d r i a , V i r g i n i a . N a w a z is w h a t A h m e d calls a
" b o r n - a g a i n ex-pat P a k i s t a n i " ( x i i ) ; as s u c h m u c h o f his p o e t r y is
i n f o r m e d by m e m o r i e s o f t h e P a k i s t a n o f h i s y o u t h , " o f a p l a c e
t h a t n o l o n g e r exists" ( x i ) , b u t w h i c h a l l o w s h i m to stave o f f the
i m m i g r a n t ' s a l i e n a t i o n t h a t arises f r o m l i v i n g i n the West. I m p l i e d t h r o u g h o u t is t h e u n r e l e n t i n g p e r s i s t e n c e o f c h a n g e .
I n c o n t r a s t o f H u s a i n ' s d e s e r t i m a g e s , w a t e r is the d o m i n a n t
i m a g e i n N a w a z ' s p o e m s . It is o f t e n a s t a n d a r d o f m e a s u r e m e n t ,
o f w e a l t h , success, e v e n m a n h o o d , a n d e v e n a way to d e t e r m i n e
the e x t e n t o f c h a n g e . T h e first p o e m i n t h e c o l l e c t i o n , " T h e W e l l
at M o h e n j o d a r o " ( i ), P a k i s t a n ' s f a m e d I n d u s V a l l e y a r c h e o l o g i c a l site d i s c o v e r e d i n 1921, offers n o t o n l y w a t e r i m a g e s b u t also
the first o f m a n y i m a g e s o f tourists ( t r a n s m u t e d i n o t h e r p o e m s
to i m m i g r a n t s ) . I n t h e past, s t o n e s w e r e t h r o w n i n t o t h a t w e l l "by
thirsty h e a r t s to m e a s u r e / t h e w a t e r ' s d e p t h . " N o w a d a y s tourists
p a r t i c i p a t e i n the s a m e r i t u a l at the 5,000-year-old w e l l — " a n
u n b l i n k i n g Cyclopean eye"—but with no hope o f hearing a
s p l a s h at this sere, t h r e a d b a r e site. T o d a y , after t h e r i t u a l is
p e r f o r m e d o f t e n e n o u g h , the stones i n t h e w e l l m u s t b e r e m o v e d
so t h a t t h e " a o r t i c s u r g e " m a y r e s u m e . T h e o n l y w a t e r p r e s e n t í s a
t o u r i s t ' s sweat a n d the c o l d d r i n k i n his h a n d . B u t yet, as i f to
participate unconsciously, archetypically, i n the ancient ritual o f
the s t o n e , a t o u r i s t , " w r a p p e d i n h i s sweat / stops a n d l o o k s , c o l d
d r i n k i n h a n d , / b e n d s d o w n , lifts, a n d l a z i l y l o b s / o n e m o r e
s t o n e i n t o the w e l l . " H e t h u s c o n n e c t s w i t h t h e past, i m p e r f e c t l y ,
but a c o n n e c t i o n nonetheless, a n d the "falling message wakens
e c h o e s / t h a t are a d d e d to the l a d e n air."
C h a n g e is also m e a s u r e d b y its a p p e a r a n c e i n n a t u r e . I n
" D r e a m s a n d the M a n " ( 14-15), the speaker, w i s h i n g to e m u l a t e
his father, w h o h a d b o a s t e d t h a t h e s w a m the m i l e - w i d e J h e l u m
R i v e r w h e n h e was s i x t e e n years o l d , p r o p o s e d "to b r e a k the
h y m e n o f [his] y o u t h / i n b a t t l e a g a i n s t t h a t m i l e o f water."
T o d a y , h o w e v e r , t h e river, " h a v i n g b e e n s e t t l e d / b y p o l i t i c i a n s
[is] n o m o r e a l i v e " :
218
CARLO COPPOLA
No more is water
the hurling, racing fearful god.
Its surge, strength, and speed bartered
away on the table of economic necessity.
Even the mosque that offered steps to the river
for religious ablutions is empty now,
for faith cannot withstand economics.
I n s t e a d , h e sees t u b e w e l l s , s h a l l o w s , h e a d w o r k s , b a r r a g e s , a n d
"rows o f sad-eyed v i l l a g e l a d s , " w h o , u n l i k e the s p e a k e r i n h i s
y o u t h , s e e m to be d r e a m l e s s . H e r e a l i z e s i n the w i s t f u l sadness
w h i c h m e m o r y b r i n g s t h a t "I s h a l l m a k e m y s e l f a n e w / d r e a m ,
f o r s o m e d r e a m s a r e / t o o b e a u t i f u l to r e s t o r e . "
C h a n g e is also m e a s u r e d i n the f o r m o f the e v e r - p r e s e n t p i p a i
tree. T h e s p e a k e r has o b s e r v e d o n e s u c h t r e e every y e a r f o r
fifteen years, p r e s u m a b l y o n a n a n n u a l visit h o m e . B o t h (s)he
a n d the tree h a v e a g e d :
. . . I noticed
how it sheds its leaves,
like a lazy pensioner
discarding clothes.
Someone else will pick them up.
("The Pipai Tree" 10)
T h e s i g n a t u r e p o e m o f this c o l l e c t i o n , " J o u r n e y s " (4-9), r e c o u n t s
the s p e a k e r ' s " s e a r c h . . . f o r m e a n i n g s / o n the d u s t y p a t h w a y s o f
the m i n d . " T h e s e a r c h is u n d e r t a k e n by l o o k i n g b a c k , " l i z a r d - l i k e
/ at m y p e e l e d - o f f l i f e . " I n the six s e c t i o n s o f this p o e m , e a c h
s e c t i o n m a d e u p o f s e v e n f o u r - l i n e stanzas, the s p e a k e r s u m m o n s ancestors a n d m o r e recent progenitors, w h o , for a p l e t h o r a
o f r e a s o n s a n d as m a n y c i r c u m s t a n c e s , h a v e e n d e d u p i n the
J h e l u m R i v e r a r e a , m o r e s p e c i f i c a l l y , i n "the c o l d c r i s p n e s s o f the
P o t h o w a r dust": w a r r i o r s , seers, f a r m e r s , w h o h a v e w i t n e s s e d t h e
c h a n g e , e v e n t h e a r r i v a l — a n d d e p a r t u r e — o f the B r i t i s h ,
Those that slithered out of our toil
to mine the surface for wealth
wore wide-brimmed hats in the sun.
Their verse blundered up Putney Hill.
They viewed their yesterdays
from vantage points where all seemed clear.
T h e B r i t i s h f a i l e d i n I n d i a , i m p l i e s the speaker, b e c a u s e they d i d
n o t k n o w t h e m s e l v e s . "It takes g e n e r a t i o n s f o r a b a n y a n to m a -
P O E T R Y F R O M PAKISTAN
219
t u r e / o r to b r e e d a class o f m e n / w h o r e c o g n i z e t h e m s e l v e s , "
( s ) h e observes. T h e class o f m e n f r o m w h i c h the s p e a k e r c o m e s
d o k n o w themselves:
We have journeyed long and deep into
the dawn. We are the men who know
loneliness is not in being alone
but knowing others could have been there.
A r m e d w i t h s u c h i n s i g h t , N a w a z s e e m s c a p a b l e o f t a k i n g o n the
West. I n " T h e I n v a s i o n o f E u r o p e " (43), N a w a z takes o n t h e West
w i t h "a w a r n i n g " w h i c h is h e e d e d " i n v a i n . " B u t w h a t i s e v e n m o r e
s t r i k i n g is the d e s c r i p t i o n o f the P a k i s t a n h e a b a n d o n e d :
I have left an angered land
behind, seething in self-destroying dissent.
A land where tongues are silent with fear,
no words have raised their heads for an age.
T h i s v o l u m e c o n t a i n s a n u m b e r o f p o e m s set i n v a r i o u s parts
o f the w o r l d w h e r e N a w a z has t r a v e l l e d i n c o n n e c t i o n w i t h his
j o b . T h o s e set i n the W e s t are c h r o n i c l e s o f N a w a z ' s o n - g o i n g
s t r u g g l e to adjust to u p r o o t e d n e s s a n d to c h a n g e . " B i r t h d a y
P o e m " (38) addresses t h e u n i v e r s a l c h a n g e : a g i n g . L o o k i n g i n t o
a " s e l f - c o n s t r u c t e d m i r r o r , " the s p e a k e r asks, "Is the m o l e still
s i t t i n g / o n t h e c h i n , t h e d i m p l e n o t y e t / h i d d e n b y fat? D o e s the
waist / still d e s e r v e t h a t n a m e ? " O n e a w k w a r d w e l l - w i s h e r says
t h a t s o m e t h i n g s d o n o t c h a n g e , s u c h as t h e s p e a k e r ' s eyes: " T h e
sadness is still t h e r e . " " M i d n i g h t S o n g " (50), w i t h the s u b t i t l e
" The switchboard will close at midnight—House rules," is a m e d i t a t i o n
u p o n m e m o r y a n d loss. A s " D a r k n e s s settles u p o n / c o n c r e t e
forests after a w i n t e r b u r i a l / o f the j a d e d s u n " a n d as " p o l i c e cars
s c r e a m t h r o u g h the n i g h t / c o n j u r i n g m e m o r i e s o f j a c k a l s / at
h o m e , s e x - m a d d e n e d , c a l l i n g f o r m a t e s , " the l a t e - n i g h t - w o r k i n g
s p e a k e r d r e a m s : "I a m i n c o m p l e t e . / A n d the p h o n e w i l l n o t
r i n g . / F o r it's late. F a r t o o late." A n d , finally, i n " H o m e " (53), the
last p o e m i n t h e c o l l e c t i o n d e d i c a t e d to h i s wife, the p o e t seems
to have e x t r a c t e d s o m e a c c o m m o d a t i o n f o r his c i r c u m s t a n c e s :
We have built a home
with untutored but willing hands. . . .
The rooms are filled with books and prints
from our past. We dream new dreams
220
CARLO COPPOLA
in this new home, from the dusty seams
of yestered years. As we draw and fill and tint
each page in this, the album of our life,
today, I offer a prologue for my wife.
N a w a z ' s p o e t i c v o i c e is a d i s t i n c t l y m u s c u l a r , m a s c u l i n e o n e .
S p r u n g f r o m a m a r t i a l p e o p l e , h e assumes his b e l l i c o s e stance
w i t h p r i d e , i f n o t b r a v a d o . H e sifts t h r o u g h h i s past a n d takes
f r o m it w h a t h e c h e r i s h e s a n d c a n use i n his p r e s e n t
circum-
stances. H e s i m i l a r l y has e v a l u a t e d h i s l i f e i n the West. It is n o t a l l
b a d , h e c o n c l u d e s , b u t it n e e d s p r u n i n g a n d c u l t i v a t i n g , j u s t l i k e
the f a r m e r ' s fields o f h i s y o u t h . T h i s h e has d o n e t h r o u g h his
p o e t r y . I n it, the b a t t l e b e t w e e n E a s t a n d W e s t is r e d u c e d to, at
m o s t , a tug-of-war. T h e r e s e e m s to b e a t r u c e , o r at least a n
a c c o m m o d a t i o n , b u t it is, at best, t e n u o u s , u n e a s y — s o m u c h so
t h a t o n e m u s t ask: w o u l d t h e p o e t o r h i s r e a d e r s have it a n y o t h e r
way? T o b o r r o w o n e o f N a w a z ' s w a t e r i m a g e s , surely, i f t h e r e w e r e
a w i n n e r , the w e l l s p r i n g o f h i s p o e t r y w o u l d d r y u p .
T a k e n i n a g g r e g a t e , these s e v e n v o l u m e s o f p o e t r y n o t o n l y
c e l e b r a t e P a k i s t a n ' s g o l d e n a n n i v e r s a r y b u t also t h e c u l t u r a l
c o m m o n a l i t y e a c h o f the a u t h o r s s h a r e s a n d the artistic i n d i v i d u a l i t y e a c h o f t h e m r e l i s h e s . T h e a p p e a r a n c e o f this series
m u s t also b e s e e n as a n u n s p o k e n , u n d e r s c o r e d d e c l a r a t i o n by
Pakistan's poets w r i t i n g i n E n g l i s h that they are a talented lot,
w o r k i n g h a r d at t h e i r art, t h e r e b y c o n t r i b u t i n g g e n e r o u s l y a n d
s i g n i f i c a n t l y to w o r l d l i t e r a t u r e i n E n g l i s h . A s s u c h , t h e y are
deserving of critical attention a n d appreciation. T h e quality o f
the p o e t r y f o u n d i n t h e s e c o l l e c t i o n s — a v e r i t a b l e e m b a r r a s s m e n t o f r i c h e s — w i l l assure these w r i t e r s a n d o t h e r s l i k e t h e m i n
Pakistan such attention a n d appreciation.
NOTE
1
Alamgir Hashmi. A Choice of Hashmi's Verse. Preface by Ken Goodwin. Karachi:
Oxford UP, 1997. Pp. xiii, 57. Rs 400; Adrian A. Husain. Desert Album. Introd. Talaat
Moreau. Karachi: Oxford UP, 1997. Pp. xix, 52. Rs 400; Daud Kamal. A Selection of
Verse. Introd. Tariq Rahman. Karachi: Oxford UP, 1997. Pp. xv, 51. Rs 400; Maki
Kureishi. The Far Thing. Introd. Adrian A. Husain. Karachi: Oxford UP, 1997. Pp.
xix, 52. Rs 400; Salman Tarik Kureshi. Landscapes of the Mind. Introd. Kaleemur
Rahman. Karachi: Oxford UP, 1997. Pp. xv, 76. Rs 400; Shuja Nawaz. Journeys.
Introd. Khaled Ahmed. Karachi: Oxford UP, 1998. P P . X V , 55. Rs40o;Taufiq Rafat.
A Selection. Introd. Athar Tahir. Karachi: Oxford UP, 1997. Pp. xix 68. Rs. 400.