The Clash Between A Female Poet And Her Reader

Tariq Ahmad Tariq

When the poet and the reader meet, expect the re-definition of miracles. 

By: Tariq Ahmad Malik(The Reader). 

On ‘woman’s day 2017’ a literary page was abuzz with the posts favouring the woman folk. A female poet, in the meanwhile posted the following poem…. 

Poem. 

Your violence shall become

my poem some day..

my world knows 

only of love

there are many worlds 

to welcome soot
the bruises you gifted me -scatter fragrance
the chains you tied me in 

-are grape wines now
the loneliness you left me to

-is the doorsill to Kaaba 
the tears you made me shed 

-suffice for a nightlong ablution
the graveyard where you buried my dreams

-has jasmines and irises and hyacinths blossomed all over
Your violence shall only become

my poem some day
Strange is my world, 

the world of mad-men where

the roses bloom 

-in barren lands

sunflowers crave for 

-a moonlight bath

peacocks dance in 

-snowstorms and nightingales sing 

-the songs of redemption
Your violence shall only become 

my poem some day
we are all but 

Parts of that Whole

equal parts, 

powerless parts, 

ephemeral parts

no part can exert 

violence on any other part
violence is forgetfulness 

-of being a part
love is being mindful

– of that supreme Whole
Your violence shall only become

my poem some day
don't fret my dear

come, lets swirl

here none shall make fun of our worn out selves.

.................................................................................................................................

While reading the poem, the readers gathered courage to ask the poet why has she painted the negative picture of men on the very day when men are busy adoring the role of woman in making the world a better place. Here  is what transpired. 

The Reader: The poem starts with the phrase

Your violence, a very harsh tone against man. Then as the narrative develops the man is dubbed as gifting the woman violence, bruises, chains, loneliness, tears, grave-yard etc

Then. conclusion  “strange is the world of mad-man”. 

Why doesn’t any female poet start the narrative right from “the fall of man”… may be she will have to consider the narration afresh.

What an irony! 

Men adore woman  every possible way. They celebrate the days in her name, make diverse efforts to empower her. They try to win her confidence. They tint her into Habba khatoon,  Arni maal, lalded, Parveen Shakir etc. They keep on swearing that woman-folk is beautiful; and beautiful is the way they walk on. 

When a women poet responds to man’s sentiments she deliberately chooses to downgrade the role of man and denies any sympathy for them. 

Let the men clap over this plight. 
What is the say of the poet on this?

The female poet: Before responding to your query sir, I would really want to know your views regarding this poem of Sahir Ludhianvi and how do you see it .

Aurat ne janam diya mardon ko

Mardon ne use bazaar diya

Jab dil chaaha masla-kuchla

Jab ji chaaha dhutkaar diya

Aurat ne janam diya mardon ko
Tulti hai kahin dinaaron mein

Bikti hai kahin bazaaron mein

Nangi nachvaayi jaati hai

Ayyashon ke darbaaron mein

Yeh woh beizzat cheez hai jo

Bant jaati hai izzatdaaron mein

Aurat ne janam diya mardon ko
Mardon ke liye har zulm ravaan

Aurat ke liye rona bhi khataa

Mardon ke liye laakhon sejein

Aurat ke liye bas ek chita

Mardon ke liye har aish ka haq

Aurat ke liye jeena bhi sazaa

Aurat ne janam diya mardon ko
Jin hothon ne unko pyaar kiya

Un hothon ka vyopaar kiya

Jis kokh mein inka jism dhala

Us kokh ka kaarobaar kiya

Jis tan se uge kopal bankar

Us tan ko zaleel-o-khaar kiya

Aurat ne janam diya mardon ko
Mardon ne banaayi jo rasme

Unko haq ka farmaan kaha

Aurat ke zinda jalne ko

Qurbaani aur balidaan kaha

Ismat ke badle roti di

Aur usko bhi ehsaan kaha

Aurat ne janam diya mardon ko
Sansar ki har ek besharmi

Gurbat ki god mein palti hai

Chaklon hi mein aakar rukti hai

Faaqon se jo raah nikalti hai

Mardon ki hawas hai jo aksar

Aurat ke paap mein dhalti hai

Aurat ne janam diya mardon ko
Aurat sansar ki kismet hai

Phir bhi taqdeer ki heti hai

Autaar-payambar janti hai

Phir bhi shaitan ki beti hai

Yeh woh badkismat maa hai jo

Beton ki sej pe leti hai

Aurat ne janam diya mardon ko

The Reader: 

Madam, It sounds good that you stand to resist. My words were not an attack to you. I simply invited the men-poets to have courage “to call a spade a spade”. You are a promising poet. You know I joined this page the time when your poem “Fake is a poet” was sent to me for analysis. I did, not only, analyse it my way but did also add it in my blog to let it live its full life. 

To my humble understanding, Sahir Ludhyanivi’s poem reflects the plight of the woman who had denied to accept the bridle of religion in her jaws. By then the prostitutes did mostly belong to Muslim community. “Amrav Jan Ada” reflects the narrative more vividly. 

Why shouldn’t we start from the time when our beloved prophet(SAW), cut the chains of slavery for women. Why shouldn’t we recall the time when “Ama Aashia” was made the Mufti Azam of the Ummah. Our eyes see what our mind allows them to see. 

Hope you understand.

The Female poet: I was expecting your comments on Sahirs poem which also starts with “Mardon ne usse bazaar diya”. 
Anyways. Certain humble submissions:

Women are perhaps more in need of special and discrete spaces where they are heard rather than any particular day where they are ‘celebrated’. Observing Hangul day doesnt save it from becoming endangered 
Poetry helps one to overcome a certain degree of powerlessness, now if even that medium of expression is strangulated, that is what results in “literary terrorism”.
Unfortunately you have missed the grand narrative of “violence” in the poem. Its perhaps a result of hasty reading, unnecessary insecurity, preconceived notions about poetry from a certain gender or lack of comprehension. Why do I say lack of comprehension because nowhere in the poem the word “man” is used. U recklessly attributed violence to “man” . If you analyse the poem again, you would know that its about a common response from the weaker to the stronger. Its a response against violence-of all sorts. 
Please don't make a man vs women thing.

The Reader: My first submission is,  let we have work done with good humor. 

My prick dripped its way into a healthy discussion. Let it be not wasted in mere arguments. 

You are absolutely right in saying it is not man v/s woman. 

I agree. But the readers will not always read according to the perspective of the poet. Readers have their own perspective. Your words become poetry when you allow them to have a safe “transition from denotations to connotations”. As a reader i made the poem go my way. 

If Sahir, a great poet, gathers the courage to count the high handedness of men on women;. why can’t a woman poet take the thread from him and come with the narrations of women’s cruelty,  if any.. 

The Female poet: The text is absolutely out of my hand and I would happily accept all the criticism made on what has been done rather than what ought to be done. We should analyse an artist’s piece of art, in the form it has been brought forward rather than how should it have been done. If its so, then the critic himself tries to be a creator. 
What you expect women poets to do is a collective responsibility which falls on everyone’s shoulders if at all its really required. I am really intrigued about that “idea whose time has come”. 
If I may have read it right, your resentment was to the fact that I didn't post a “thank you poem” for people celebrating a day I don't believe in, calling women and her ways beautiful which is absolute objectification to me, empowering women -when I  see her narratives being tweaked in all social and so called literary circles, tinting her as Habba and Parveen but not expecting the similar thematic responses from her. 
In my opinion the time is ripe when we respect and celebrate womanhood exactly for the same reasons we celebrate manhood, childhood or old age. Simply for her being a human being, a representative of mankind. 
Please spare my poor selection of words which may not convey what exactly I intend to. As you said the intention is learning rather than bringing one another down. 

Peace.

The Reader: Suggestion granted, Since ages people have been calling the yes-men good for nothing. But you have words to inspire and courage to resist, it sounds great. 

I believe you will, one day,  dub these moments very inspiring when you will recollect to yourself how one day you faced a seemingly merciless reader. I believe you will one day earn a good name as a poet;but what about the reader like me who has never been a poet but a promising reader for good poets. I am humble enough to praise every good effort;. let the poets choose whether to give any credit to the readers who help them maintain high standards. 

Peace! 

Thankzzz

Finally peace process could be spelled out by the joint efforts of the poet and the reader. 

Conclusion: 

When the poet and the reader collide, expect the re-definition of miracles.