The News Friday, December 29, 2006

Munir Niazi's death has left the country's literary landscape parched and barren. Perhaps the most distinguished poet of his generation, Niazi had a distinctive voice that was all of his own. His ability to infuse new life into mundane words and to forge startling metaphors from everyday language remains unsurpassed. Haunting, melancholy, mysterious and achingly poignant, Niazi's verse deliberately eschewed ornamentation and elaborate allusions and spoke directly to the heart. His vocabulary had a distinct musicality and earthiness to it and a whiff of his native land. His poetry was both accessible and profound. For example, "Hamesha der ker deta hoon mein" is an ostensibly simple poem that nevertheless evokes a deep sense of regret and loss. This direct and essentially modern approach to language also lent itself to being accessible across linguistic barriers, making his work relatively easy to translate into other tongues.

Munir Niazi's literary pursuits were not always lucrative. His foray into writing for films was an attempt to make some sort of living from his chosen calling. Although he did not exactly strike it rich in this cut-throat field, he did leave behind a legacy of which "Us bewafa ka shehr hai aur hum hain doston" from the film Shaheed is a priceless example. Equally proficient in Urdu and his native Punjabi, Niazi moved from one language to the other with effortless ease. "Kuj sheher de log wi zalim sann/kuj sanoo maran da shoq wi si" is a refrain that will live on in the annals of Punjabi poetry for its wit and irony. Although Munir Niazi is no more, his remarkable collection of work will continue to remind us of his unique talent and his uncanny way with words. His poetry will stand the test of time and his name will only grow in stature in the years ahead. Munir Niazi's death is a great loss for his admirers but his legion of fans can take solace from the fact that he has claimed his place among the very best poets of our times.