SOME NEW POEMS OF
AFZAL SHAUQ
Nazish Zafar
_________
‘Twist of Fates’ is only a beginning of introduction of Afzal Shauq to the readers of English language, his later works in Pashto are being translated. I too had the pleasure of translating some of his poems into English.. those he had written during my research on his works. I have included these translations in this book to the delight of readers
Like all his poetry, these poems too are saturated with originality and uniqueness of ideas
Man was doomed to constantly bear the sweet enmity and guised hostility of Satan. Sons of Adam fail to learn anything from the mistake of their father and succumb to his evil designs. Afzal Shauq shares the grief of Adam at his defeat at hands of Satan. The villainy of Satan against man is an exhausted idea in literature, still the approach of the poet involving a fine pictorial quality, brings a fresh life to this idea. This poem of Shauq, although a short one, has quality of an epic in it, with grandeur of theme and characters. Shauq made shrieks of a wounded Adam almost audible .. Nazish
Poem No. 1
. SATAN WINS
He beheld
his uncountable children
in front of him
as Adam woke from his sound sleep
he felt like
bowing down to earth
in gratitude
for the pride
of having borne them all
But this act of humility
was soon checked
by a roar of satanic laugh
a sound of bitter mock
tearing his ears apart
awe struck..
Adam turned around
and his eyes found
none
but progeny of his sons
Habil and Kabil
to his disbelief
carrying the children of Satan
on their shoulders
Adam
dismayed
shed his pride
that very moment
and looked at the skies
with torn eyes
as a sigh escaped his gasped lips
He surrendered
accepted his defeat
at the hands of
his eternal enemy
Satan..
God being silent witness to that
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- Afzal Shauq’s Pashto Poem ‘Da Ahaitan Barey’
- Translated By: Nazish Zafar
Since men shedding away the honour of being created in God's nature, preferred tutelage of evil forces, the tasks of Satan were made even easier for him. Man followed his footsteps, indulged in debauchery of sin, he himself became Satan incarnate
Poem No.2
DEVILS OF NEW ERA
Since
men in modern times
had armed themselves
against the evil
and
had stepped in
the field of battle,
instead of
cutting the necks of
some targeted enemy
they were stoning mirrors
for the Evil
the devilish culprit
was a face
none other
than that of men
___________________
- Afzal Shauq’s Pashto Poem ‘Shaitan’
- Translated By: Nazish Zafar
Afzal Shauq at times wants to escape his sensitivity that keeps him under constant pain of awareness. He wonders how could people around him remain unaffected while he suffered the pain of knowing and feeling human predicaments all the time. The following poem is once again an open ended question, a peculiar style of the poet that is always very thought provoking
Poem No.3
?? ME OR THE WORLD
I wonder
if people around me
could escape
by the hand of chance
or by their own designs
the pain of seeing things
out of the circle
of self interest
then why me
a poet
a traveler
was doomed
to see things
in entirety of whole world
with men in it
and then
having to bear
at my individuality
an absence of me
within my body
___________________
- Afzal Shauq’s Pashto Poem ‘Zeh, Ka Jehan?’
- Translated By: Nazish Zafar
Shauq's encounters with Gods are always very interesting. He finds Him above him, around him and within him all at the same time. He like a spoiled child takes liberty of addressing HIM the way he pleases and putting all the questions in front of him without hesitation in sheer expression of love. Following few poems (No. 4, 5, 6 and 7) of his repartee with God, instantly strike the minds of readers and set them wondering of knowing the creator afresh
Poem No.4
WHAT TO NAME???
Oh Almighty Allah!!
You
the creator
and a face of my soul too
how on earth
I could imagine
your presence at a place
other than a mosque
and to my surprise be found
some where
in the heart of south east Asia’s
temples of Hindus
where an enchanting
but un shouldered face
resembling you
that I had been searching for
since my soul came into being
and since my first infant cry
would itself be found
preaching
the Stone made gods…
___________________
- Afzal Shauq’s Pashto Poem
‘Charta Kafir Khu Neh shwam? ’
- Translated By: Nazish Zafar
Poem No.5
ALMIGHTY ALLAH
YOU
being my true beloved
live so deep in me
and make such integral part of my soul
that
whenever
I praise your name
I share the pride
of being praised
myself
___________________
- Afzal Shauq’s Pashto Poem ‘Azima Khudaya’ - Translated By: Nazish Zafar
Poem No.6
? QUESTION MARK
My faceless God!
the Greatest and Mighty of all!
you deserve all the pride
with this huge universe
at your command
then what on earth
I wonder
made you choose
my heart so little
as your abode
___________________
- Afzal Shauq’s Pashto Poem ‘Raz Ao Ka Niaz?’
- Translated By: Nazish Zafar
