Dr. Jagtar

Dr. Jagtar (b. 1935) is a versatile Punjabi poet, equally at ease with nazm, ghazal and geet. He stands for beauteous forms of poetry depicting profound thoughts and intense feelings. He never deviates from the path of terse language and correct versification. Among his numerous books are included the collections of poems - Ruttan Rangalian (1957), Talkhian Ranginian (1960), Dudh Pathhri (1961), Adhura Aadmi (1967), Lahu de Naksh (1973), Chhangia Rukh (1976), Sheeshe da Jangal (1980), Jazeerian vich Ghirea Samunder (1985), Chamikri Shaam (1991) and Jugnu, Diva te Darya (1992).

The Islands of Silence

The train stuck in the graveyard
whistles aloud.
It passed through the paddy fields
jumped over the walls and thresholds
of the villages around.
It gave a rap at
the eyes, ears, feet and brain
of all the residents
but they conveniently turned themselves

into the islands of silence.
The horrible cry of the person
under the murderous assault
hovered over the tops of tress
and then lost itself in its roots.
But the trees
unlike the people around
never take the form of
the islands or the sea
except that having been shaken rudely
they grow grave like a dirge.
The sounds of tiie bullets
created the islands of silence merely
before vanishing into the thin air.

The murdered persons are lying
unclaimed on the rail-track
but on their faces
bemoans my prayer-
The tree that grows in a field
is not prone to danger
like an island.
But all of you
the islands of silence
have been converted into
the dead bodies.'                                             Chupp de Jazeere