Iztrab
by Shabnam Shakeel |
By
Professor Dr. Saadat Saeed Urdu Department
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.