In a world that feasts on the venom-filled utterances of theocrats living centuries behind and where the rage of the aggrieved hardly fetches more than a theoretical laugh, poetry becomes a form of self-action and a poet fully alive to his social commitment does not hesitate in taking up the mantle of a villain in front of frenzied mob. His interpretation of observed reality produces a multi-layered narrative that belittles the dominant discourse. He speaks without fetter and refuses to obey the dictates of the unscrupulous power seekers. This is what that finds relentlessly pleasing resonance in ground breaking poetry of Subodh Saqi whose first collection of poems, “Namak” appeared recently.
Subodh Saqi meticulously eschews emotion-stirring depiction of beauty, joy, separation and sense of loss in ornate language and instances of low self-esteem, incompleteness and self-doubt remind him what is meant by being oppressed. He lives in society where innocent citizens are being punished and in the Kafkaesque sense there is no trace of the prosecutor. It makes his senses obtuse and the narrator is more than happy to part with what that constitutes his personality – seeing and hearing – as these organs no longer serve any purpose:
“I feel
l can easily part with two senses
Even it is possible That I can dispense with hearing and seeing.
Except the Illusion of alliance everything is lost even in his fanciful reveries:
Only relationship is not lost;
This aside, much move is lost.
Suboh’s laconic poems such as “Khali canvass”, “Ankhen Bolien” and “Der” unfold infinite potentials of the human mind by taking the reader through a fascinating experience that oscillates between pleasure and pain with equal vehemence.
He touches upon the social and cultural underpinning of our basest prejudices and creatively asserts that the laws of nature do not always have to hold. The galore of empowerment and freedom is certifiable unreliable and his poem “Chuno” (choice) seems to be a cry of hatches for all in the world that fell apart:
A four-year boy of unkempt appearance was very agile
He moves to green light of one side to the red light of the opposite direction with
Lightning speed
Whoever comes across
He opens his palm carrying lines of long
Life and prosperity
His world was restricted to the circle
It was not chosen by him
His life revolved the traffic light
It was not decided by him
He was born under the broken bridge
He did not choose it
Last night
He was crushed under the wheels of
Traffic signal violating truck
Again it was not chosen by him
Man is gifted with some powers that are ageless. Subodh zeroes in on them and place them into fresh creative perspective and the articulation goes well beyond the unconditional adulation and niggling complaint. The lost bond of affinity adds a shot of mystique to our mundane life. His poem ‘Baaten’ recalls an experience that seems to be on the verge of extinction:
Now you are not with me
I am pondering
What we discussed
Now I hardly recall it
What we talked about hours together
According to celebrated Pakistani poet Fahmida Riyaz, the poem betrays a nuanced wish of congregation.
Poem ‘Jaal’ makes it clear that the narrator is not at ease with the opulence and tranquillity around him and he reckons it as a dreaded dream. At a creative level present cannot be separated from future and time gone by never ends. It is eternal present and the narrator seems to be annoyed at the efforts of acknowledging present, past and future as separate entities.
The poet in line with Deist tradition and beliefs asserts that God virtually takes no interest in mundane life and man’s inherent fear and a deep sense of humour produced Him. The time has come that the world must move without him.
Suboh Saqi’s new collection of poems defies the boring logic of temporal and his creative dexterity coupled with exuberance of expression adds an element of wonder to this oeuvre that takes us away from the ubiquitous myopic vision of the reality around us.
