Iztrab by Shabnam Shakeel

 By Professor Dr. Saadat Saeed Urdu Department

Ankara university Turkey

 

Shabnam Shakeel has dedicated her latest poetic collection Iztrab (restlessness) to those people whom she met during her social intercourse. She says:

I have often done those works which were beyond pain and happiness.

I have often met those people for whom I don't feel love or enmity.

They are not my enemies or even friends.

I have often talked to them vaguely and abortively

I have wasted my life joylessly

this is the reason that in the fruitless days and nights

colorless and flavorless flowers have blossomed

I dedicate to them this bunch of flowers (my poetry).

 

We should leave aside these claims as the book tells another story.

Shabnam Shakeel started writing poetry way back in the 70's. She has carved out a niche for herself in contemporary Urdu poetry. Her poetry bears a strong testimony to her aesthetic direction. The views by Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi, Khalida Hussain and Iftikhar Arif in the inner pages of the book analyse Shabnam's poetic worth.