ALTHOUGH it appears that the era of good and meaningful poetry has unceremoniously ended, some newer collections of poems deserve attention. Though there is nothing striking about the verses included in the books under
review, yet they certainly reflect the restlessness of the human soul which is under severe stress today.

The books are Zawaal-i-Adam by Feza Aazmi, Zindaan Main Zindagi Amar Hai by Sabir Zafar and Inhidam by Yawar Aman.

Syed Mazhar Jamil, Prof Sehr Ansari and Dr Manazir Ashiq Harganvi have paid tribute to Feza Aazmi's innovative ideas and vision in understanding the crisis in which people find themselves struggling in life.

The poet has been criticised for his highly personalised comments on the existing deplorable situation. It has often been suggested he has reached a stage in which nothing appears positive.

But this attitude cannot be termed negative or devoid of any logic. Feza Aazmi is a conscious person and has full knowledge of the pitfalls that mankind comes across in life which he brings to the fore through his poetry.

On many issues Aazmi has very distinct views. He rejects hypocrisy in whatever form and does not follow the traditional path. What is most remarkable is the force and commitment of the poet to noble values.

A reader would be delighted to read his verses. It may be said that Feza Aazmi has further strengthened the tradition that was initiated by Maulana Altaf Husain Haali.

The poet-reformer identifies the malady and attacks man-made idols that have come to be accepted as symbols of our society.

Some writers have criticised the poems that are described by the poet as masnavi. It is true that masnavi has a well-defined pattern and is generally used to convey feelings of love and passion. But this is not strictly followed by poets and this form has also been used for expressing one's thoughts and ideas.

Feza Aazmi has successfully conveyed his ideas and convincingly tried to change the fossilised views in poetry. Immersed in the tradition of classical literature, he makes use of his understanding of poetry.

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Sabir Zafar may not be well-known, but he will certainly be known as a poet who refuses to surrender before the forces of evil. While poetry is gradually losing its shine for so many reasons, he tries to hold the banner of poetry aloft.

The fragrance that emerges from genuine poetry is found in his couplets. They are true representative of an age where it is difficult to ascertain the truth.

Sabir Zafar knows how to make use of classical symbols for the benefit of the new generation. That is how he preserves the experiences of the past and mingles with them his own ideas. He is a poet of the new generation which is not prepared to accept the views of the elders on face value. The poet's major achievement is his command over the diction which he uses to his benefit.

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Yawar Aman is another poet who has suffered the pangs of migration more than once. Yet he never lost heart in the tortuous journey that took him to different climes and destinations.

His poetry is a representation of the hardships of life he experiences alongside the agony of migration.

To some readers Yawar Aman's diction might appear uneven as he has skilfully experimented with words and idioms. But this is an effort to enrich both the language and the literature in order to bring them out of the cobweb of
traditionalism.

Zawal-i-Adam
(POETRY)
By Feza Aazmi
Academy Bazyaft, Karachi
160pp. Rs200

Zindaan Main Zindagi Amar Hai
(POETRY)
By Sabir Zafar
Misaal Publishers, Faisalabad
Price not listed

Inhidam
(POETRY)
By Yawar Aman
Media Graphics, Karachi
312pp. Rs300