Assignment No: 01 Pakistani Literature in English

Question No: 01 Give a critical note on Taufique Rafat’s poem “Reflections”?

Answer: As far as the imagery of Reflections (Rafat, 1985, p. 78) is concerned, splitting it into
eleven cantos, Rafat touches upon the process of creativity both in the creative artists and the agricultural
lands. The poem is a multi-layered description of many objects where the poet associates the outer world
to the inner world of the man. The poem starts with the lines, the long dry spell is over. Waiting is ended.
The paddy fields receive the last monsoon showers with a fierce gladness (p. 77). The pastoral imagery
actually belongs to his own native land—Sialkot that is famous for its huge production of rice. Memon
(n.d.) records that “Rice is mainly grown in many areas of Pakistan. In Punjab, it is cultivated in Sialkot”
and many other cities so we can say that the imagery is not superficial but empirical in its nature.
“Monsoon showers” give a new life to the dry climes as we have already debated upon. It is a botanical
fact that the rainwater of monsoon is inevitable for the crop of rice. Memon (n.d.) writes that the
[production of rice] decrease[s]… and effects of monsoon rain and late receding of water period in rice
field prolonged the sowing”. If the rains of monsoon are not in time, it could be heavily drastic for the
yield. Here, once again, after giving the description of an indigenous crop, he carries on his subject and
says that all the objects of nature welcome it. It has been vividly described in Arrival of the Monsoon that
“the dry trees rise and shake themselves” (p. 55). In the same manner, Taufiq Rafat’s Poetry—a
Kaleidoscope of ‘Isms’: A Critical Analysis of Selected 109 Poems from Arrival of the Monsoon
www.tjprc.org editor@tjprc.org It only needed this [monsoon] to turn the weather. Already there is a new
briskness in the air to which every living thing responses and the poet too wakes up from his dreams and
doodling (p. 78). Archetypally, the lines are very significant due to the expression of the time of
productivity. Monsoon, for both poets and the agricultural land seems a blessing from the respective gods
and goddesses. Calliop, Erato, and Thalia, the goddesses of epic poetry, lyric and pastoral poetry
respectively (The Names of the Nine Muses, n.d.), can be equalized to Adonis (Britannica, n.d.), Tlaloc
and Chaac (Mills, Parker & Stanton, 2005, p. 481), the gods of vegetation and rain. Here, the poet’s
approach towards the process of composition of poetry is like those of romantic poets. The couplet, “The
time for action is here/ and actions for some means words” (Taufiq, 1985, p. 78) seems very like to
Wordsworth’s “spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings” (Leitch, 2001, p. 647). His images ‘rounded
patterns’ (Rafat, 1985, p. 79) and ‘landscape of poem’ (p.79) in canto II present how the poetic frenzy
coined by Longinus (Leitch, 2001, p. 140), works throughout the poem. As a result of which, “The words
are willingly ready,/ to be cooped in a poem’s space” (Rafat, 1985, p. 79). In addition to it, in canto IV, he
talks about the poetic inspiration as: I sit in my garden and listen to its overtones. Here the red-ars
edbulbul come io inject adumb tree with life… The lashing of a kingfisher’s wings against a brooding tree
Triggers a new chain of thoughts (p. 81-82). It reminds us of John Keats’ Ode to Nightingale (Newbolt,
n.d.) where the nightingale’s character inspires Keats to compose his words into rhythmic lines. Instead of
using the word nightingale, Rafat employs indigenous word bulbul. Except it, ‘the kingfisher’s wings’
also prove fruitful for the artistic unity of the poet’s creativity. At another place in canto II, Rafat
transports our attention to the art of creativity that gains ripeness, in both content and form, with the
passage of time. He writes, as we grow older, we try to pare words to the bone for autumn has stuck
blindly at the equal leafiness of skull and vision (p. 81). Closing the debate, it can be claimed that Rafat’s
poetry is indeed the kaleidoscope of many ‘isms’. He adopts the themes and style from the movements—
imagism, symbolism, realism, romanticism etc, but his poetic landscape itself frames all influences
according to the need of Pakistani Idioms. The poet appropriates all the objects related to his local
landscape, seasons, crops, vocabulary etc.to magnify the picture of indigenous cultural practices. In actual
behind the curtain of these images, he endeavors to amplify the voice of nationalism, and creates a
counter discourse against the colonial influence that has evidently disturbed our mentality, corrupted
ecology, and contaminated the passion of love and integration. Apparently, the poetry is romantic in style
but ironically pathos, lamentation and sympathy work beneath the surface
Question No: 02 What is the theme of the poem “Pakistani Movement”
Answer: This poem by Alamgir Hashmi is divided into three sections. The first part deals with the
bloody partition of the Sub-continent. Some horrible and terrifying pictures of the migration are drawn. The
second part discusses the advent of Islam in this region of the world and the glory of the Muslim conquerors
and empire. There is also a reference to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and their desires to reach the
warm waters of the Arabian Sea. And in the end the poet deals with the future of Pakistan and the hopes
of the nation.

Pakistan Movement is undoubtedly a moment that resulted in a wholesale migration of millions of

people from their home-lands. A number of horrible and heart-rending scenes are still in the memory of the
migrants. The houses left by them are set on fire. Thousands of men were killed, girls were kidnapped and
the processions were attacked. People became love-less. Communal violence created a scene of death,
decay and disorder.

The blistering journeys on foot, the grinding oxcart

Expeditions, the slow, steamy railways
And their marauders behind us. . . . .
. . . And 47’s burning cities behind us.

After portraying a picture of these horrible spectacles, the poet advices us to bring it under our
speculation that it was the land sublimely beautiful dreamt by our poet philosopher, it was the land detected
by the Arabian sailor (Muhammad Bin Qasim) where shrieking voice was projected by a widowed girl for
assistance. This is the land which witnessed the general’s superb act of faith. The Muslim general, a lad of
seventeen, considering it religious and sacred duty, came to her rescue. He paved the way for other Muslim
generals to make a series of conquests on the Sub-Continent and provided a direction for compassing future
achievements by their descendants. After that Muslims ruled over there for more than eight centuries. That
was the height of Muslim rule in India.

After the partition, somewhere in 1979, the sea lions aspired to capture the world. They desired to
reach the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. It was a big threat for the existence of Pakistan. But there-after
unexpectedly a volcanic disturbance appeared from the belly of the earth. All their plans failed. Our enemy
was divided into many independent Christian and Muslim states and by the grace of Allah Almighty we
were protected. But the challenges are not over. We are realizing our hopes and expectations for the
preservation, solidification and extension of our ideology.

Violent flow of rivers means revolution whereas unending slow flow of rivers means evolution. The
past is astoundingly a beautiful valley. It is replete with the brilliant achievements of our forefathers. The
present is full of intensity. Only those can survive who constantly remain in struggle to maintain their
freedom against heavy odds, against their foes.
 The poet ends the poem with the message that we should do good to our men, to our nation. We
should maintain our freedom at any cost. He says that he feels like sowing the seeds of words there so that
he could have good trees moving along the water-ways in future. The future is anyhow upon this planet, a
worth tending flower. It must be kept in view to enjoy its beauty and fragrance upon permanent basis.

The structure of the poem is complex and complicated because the style of the poet is suggestive
and reflective. The readers must have some knowledge of history to pursue the poet’s ideas. The poet builds
up a sequence of pictures rather than giving a scene from beginning to end. This seems haphazard to the
readers. However, on a careful study of the poem it has been found that there is a thin and subtle thread
which runs throughout the poem and gives it a sort of unity. The above said incidents are not narrated in a
traditional way rather they are only hinted upon to put forward a justification for the creation of Pakistan
and they also urge us to stand for the freedom of our country and preserve its ideology.

Question No: 03 Give a critical appraisal of Daud Kamal’s poem “An Ode to Death”
Answer: An ode to death is a poem about the ultimate reality of death that death must happen in every
one’s life. So, when a man comes in this world a dream is also born with him. In the poem “An Ode to
Death” the diction employed by Daud Kamal is finest. His writing style is deeply influenced by the
imagists. He was the true son of soil.

The tone of the whole poem is doubtful, low and dark. It is full of confusion and impression. It does not
vary from stanza to stanza, it remains stable, spiritual. The theme of death is so low and serious and that
seriousness reaches to its height by his using diction like shock, grave, forest of symbols etc.

Metaphor It is a word or phrase for one thing that is used to refer to another thing in order to show or
suggest that they are similar. So, he has used metaphorical expressions in the stanza such as: “And in
every particle of carbon-dust There lives a diamond dreams” Every man promotes a dream which dies
with his death. So, here ‘diamond dream’ and ‘carbon dust’ represent death of man’s dream with his
death.

Imagery means to use figurative language to represent objects, actions and ideas in such a way that it
appeals to our physical senses. So, poet has used imagery in the stanza like: “I have sat by your bedside
and felt Your sinking pulse. Are the hair and bones Really indestructible and how long Does it take for
the eyes? To dissolve in the grave” In this whole stanza the poet has described the whole scenery and he
appears to be a witness of a person’s breathing his last.

In this Poem the poet describes Islamic approach using the word ‘forgotten river’ that our soul and
physical body mix in forgotten river, and we have forgotten our real aim and so busy in the luxuries of the
life that we have ignored the End of the Day. Forgotten river is the ignored eternity.

The style of this poem is dramatic monologue and dramatic monologue is a poem in the form of a speech
or narrative by an imagined person, in which the speaker accidentally reveals aspects of their character
while describing a particular situation or series of events. Daud Kamal representing this poem in the form
of dramatic monologue.
It is concluded that “An Ode to Death” by Daud Kamal is a poem about the certainty of death. It is not
written for the special area. It is a universal phenomenon. By using different examples like ‘clock’,
‘thunderbolt’, ‘galaxies’ etc. he creates the effect of objectivity. Images create real pictures in our mind.
That images have symbolic interpretations for e.g. clock is the symbol of uncertainty of life as time is
uncertain. It does not wait for anyone. Language used by Daud Kamal is very simple and easy.
Construction and arrangement (syntax) of words is easy to understand. In the whole poem reader finds
himself engaged with the idea of happening of death. Whole poem revolves around the opening verse of
poem that is “Death is more than a certain”.