PESHAWAR: After Ayoub Sabir, a noted Pashto poet who had pioneered ‘blank verse’ in Pashto in early 20th century, many followed his style and diction. A few poets could add something new and substantive to Pashto literature at that time. Renowned poets of ghazal like Amir Hamza Baba had altogether rejected the idea of blank verse and free verse in Pashto literature. But progressive Pashto poets like Qalandar Momand considered it a fit literary genre.

With the passing of time, this new literary genre found place in Pashto literary circles and young poets were inspired to express their unbridled emotions and thoughts in blank verse and free verse. New and earlier untouched topics also found expression as poets were encouraged to versify anything and everything under the socially accepted norms and literary traditions.

Over the last many decades, blank verse (azad nazm) in Pashto became popular and widely acclaimed.

Poets of all sorts conducted new experiences. Not only progressive poets, but also the traditionalists adopted blank verse as a fit medium for versification. One thing is quite true that ghazal is still very popular among common poetry lovers and readers compared to azad nazm.

Unlike ghazal, blank verse has more space for expression and freedom to touch upon any topic that caught the sharp eye of a poet. Dr Sher Zaman Seemab is a young scholar and poet from Malakand who has recently brought out his new poetry volume ‘Zama Da Shauq Liwantob’ (The madness of my desire). He has versified variety of topics from class- ridden society, materialism, faith worship to self-confidence, nostalgia of childhood to anti-smoking ads.

Every poem in the book tells a different story in a fluent rhythmic metre

In one of his poems titled , ‘Qissa Khawani’ the poet while paying tribute to the historic market place says that it used to be the emblem of our culture and heritage down the ages, suddenly it turned into a stage of bloodshed and terror. Once the hub of story tellers of the yore days, now has become a sad tale itself, the poet narrates.

Another poem, ‘Breaking News’ versifies that this city of Peshawar, once world famous place and once city of flowers, now is stained with blood. “Not a single child is seen playing around on its narrow streets. Even on the Eid day, Peshawarites have focused their eyes on their TV screens waiting for breaking news, regarding yet another tragedy,” the poem laments.

The poem ‘Da Allama Iqbal Pa Nom’ (In the name of Allama Iqbal) , the poet refers to a prophetic couplet of the great poet Allama Mohammad Iqbal in which he had said that Afghan land was the heart of Asia, adding that any disturbance in it would imperil peace and stability of the entire region.

“Today, the world saw that your words came true. Being a great visionary, you could imagine future of the region,” the poem states.

Taste of the poet seems to be varied. If on one hand, he praises the natural beauty of ‘Elum’ a historic mountain peak between Swat and Bunir districts, on the other hand he showers accolades on Indian dashing actress, Mahdrui Dixit.

Being a restless soul, Dr Seemab does not let any topic go unnoticed. He uses simple diction and short metres to get his message across in a captivating manner. He has beautifully sustained rhythm and music of his poems.

Spread over 160 pages, the new book is printed by Amir Print and Publishers, Peshawar Mohalla Jangi. The book is available for Rs 200 which contains 57 beautiful poems in blank verse. Every single poem tells a different story in a fluent rhythmic metre in a unique voice with poet in background.

Published in Dawn, May 22nd, 2015

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