Book Review 4:
The Poetry of ‘To Dream with Eyes Open’!
اوجاڳيل اکين جا سپنا
Reviewed By: Dr Mubarak Lashari
Poetry is considered as the expression of emotions in verse
traditionally but there are people and poet giants who make it weapon to
eradicate injustice and suppression. And there are few people whose entire life
is that kind of poetry. There is such a poetess and poetry, called Amar Sindh
and her poetry collection, ‘Ojageel Akhyan Ja Sapna’ Jagti Ankhon ke Sapne,
Dreams With Open Eyes. It is verily complex to disengage poetry from the
composer and composer from the poetry. She herself is a poetry; the poetry of
defy, the poetry of cry, the poetry of soreness and suffering and she herself
is practically that. For her, her preface writer Fehmida Riaz quotes Iranian
poetess Farokh Farukhzad, as;
I am talking from the height of darkness,
Whenever, you may come to me,
You must bring at least a lamp with you!
Accordingly, she is always in conversation from darkness, that’s
the plight of Sindh, Pakistani and Third World and women of this land she is
always talking on and about. She is well known feminist of Pakistan generally
and Sindh particularly. She is dissent voice. And this poetry book is portrayal
of her voice, not just a voice of that single individual but there are millions
of suppressed voices from religio-tribo-feudal elements, as Auratazad Women’s Research
& Publications puts on, as publisher of the book.
The collection of the poetry cited above is anthology of poems
written in free verse form. The book is published by Auratazad Women’s Research
& Publications Hyderabad. The book consists of Sindhi- Urdu poetry of a
poetess, who is head of Department of philosophy at University of Sindh,
Jamshoro. The poetry is extended to 100 pages and after every two or more pages
there are several Black-n-white art pictures. The very pleasant and lavish
pages are used. The preface of the book is written by giant feminist and
progressive poetess Fehmida Riaz, whose stature is at a pinnacle in
contemporary female poetesses and progressive-feminists specially. The back
title is written by famous literary figure and writer Asif Farukhi. Asif
Farukhi in my eyes is a bridge of languages and literature, who also is found
weaving the knots of Pakistani literature from one language to another all the
time.
The most powerful side of the book and the poetry is its resisting
voice and challenge to the status-quo. She is appreciated by the contemporary
writers a lot. Zahida Hina opines that, “Her poetry shows how she keeps
resistance and revolutionary thoughts alive”. Writer Fehmida Riaz also
appreciated Sindhu’s poetry, which is written in Sindhi and translated into
Urdu. Sindhu’s poetry is a hope for the youth, she said, adding that her recent
work depicted her extraordinary personality. Some writers are of the opinion
that Sindhu is Parveen Shakir of Sindhi poetry. But I would add to it saying
that, she is much more Parveen Shakir on the one side; she is progressive and
enlightened ones on the other. Ms Sindhu is not only just dissent voice in
saying or poetry but she is practically activist and can be found at some nook
and corner resisting discrimination, injustice and cruelty towards females and
society generally.
The book is much more than what is said and quoted above. The
ambitious and avid readers can find the taste of poetry from romance to
revolution in both the rich Pakistani languages, i.e Sindhi and Urdu. It is
practically the dream of open eyes to awaken the sleeping and slumbering lot
under the umbrella of fancy. The poetry and its advent is success and brighter
anticipation as “This generation is lucky enough to be able to give true dreams
a reality,” Ms Sindhu said. Thus, in the light of above a few glimpses of the
richest poetic vision, one must go for the book and has a good and sound read.
I believe that a good read literary library and creative literary circle would
be incomplete without reading and preserving ‘Ojageel Akhyan Ja Sapna’ Jagti
Ankhon ke Sapne, Dreams With Open Eyes.
اوجاڳيل
اکين جا سپنا
Jagti Aankhon ke Sapne
Poetry: Urdu/Sindhi
Publisher - Auratazad Women’s Research & Publications Hyderabad
Pages 100
Price PK Rs. 400/- US $ 10/-
ISBN 978 969 9698 00 2
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