Just Like That | Suspected Poems: Gulzar Saheb's powerful political critique through poetry

Gulzar Saheb's 'Suspected Poems' are a powerful blend of tanz, sarcasm, and irony on politics.

Many people may not be aware that Gulzar Saheb has written many subtle but extremely powerful poems on politics. His personality is such that, by and large, he keeps away from any involvement or even comment on what is going on in the polity of the country. That, of course, does not mean that he does not have definitive views on what should not be happening. Being a poet, he gives voice to his critique or his disapproval through poetry, which is full of understated tanz, sarcasm and irony.

Being a poet, Gulzar saheb gives voice to his critique or his disapproval through poetry, which is full of understated tanz, sarcasm and irony.(HT Photo)

A collection of such poems has been published by Penguin, under the interesting title of Suspected Poems, which I have translated into English along with the original text in Hindustani. Actually, Suspected Poems was part of a trilogy. The first two volumes were called Selected Poems and Neglected Poems, which too have been translated by me.

Suspected Poems are ostensibly ‘suspect’ because their poetic content transcends literature and scathingly intrudes into the world of politics, and that is why—given the nature of our politics—they will always remain relevant. I am giving below some short samples of this aspect of Gulzar Saheb’s writings, which readers may find of interest. I am only providing the English translation, and to read the originals as well you will have to buy the book.

 

There’s nothing new in New Delhi  

 

“There is nothing really new in New Delhi

Except that every five years a new government comes in

And converts old issues to new schemes.

Opening scabbards anew

They unsheathe again all the rusted laws

That can cut neither grass nor necks!”

 

Who is this dumb person?

 

Who is this dumb person?

When he coughs, words fly around from his mouth

It has become difficult to keep the town clean;

At the town square people are talking:

Maybe a writer, perhaps some intellectual

Someone had asked him for his views

And then cut off his tongue!

 

Speaker

 

For the last sixty minutes

A ‘speaker’ hanging from a pole is bellowing

With its entire mouth open

Emitting big stones and bricks

 

With one hand on the mike’s throat

And the other around the people’s necks

He thrusts his knee into the gut and says:

‘Listen, buddy, come what may,

I will not leave without my vote today

 

Tattoo

 

For no particular reason

He had the blue cow tattooed on his right shoulder

He would have been killed in the riots yesterday

But they were good people—

Seeing a cow, they let him go!

 

A Cracked Cup

 

He was like a cracked cup

There was no handle to him.

No one would put it to the mouth

For the lips would burn.

It was hot, if held in the hands

The fingers would get scalded.

One day the boss threw it out.

‘Get out you Dalit’

Now there is a crack on every face in the office.

 

Sultana Daku's Last Letter to His Son

 

My son,

As long as I had life in my lungs

For the last thirty years

I have robbed;

When robbing became difficult

I just grabbed;

When I couldn’t rob or grab any more

I murdered;

When that got over

I wore the hangman’s noose;

Don’t forget your turn will also come

After as many years.

It is compulsory for a six-year-old

To begin life by learning his father’s profession.

But remember, don’t ever mess with a politician

Their children begin to learn from the age of five!

 

These poems are but samples that provide the reader with the flavour of Suspected Poems. A poet is a deeply observant person. He draws his imagery and ideas from what is happening around him. There are other poets like Faiz, Ali Sardar Jafri, and Javed Akhtar, to name just a few, who are more vocal, direct and overt in their political commentary.

Gulzar has chosen the more subtle way, but that does not make his writing any less hard-hitting. I have been a personal witness-participant of this impact. At many a literary event, he and I have been on the stage together. Whenever he recited in his evocative baritone a poem such as the one given above, the crowd roared with appreciation.

In fact, for accomplished poets, the subject of poetry is never irreconcilably binary. They can write most beautifully on romance and love, joy and grief, union and separation and the entire gamut of emotions. Yet they cannot be insulated from what they see happening in society and politics. The poems of Kaifi Azmi are a good example of this duality. Gulzar himself, apart from his shringara poetry, has written extensively and consistently on nature and the need to protect the environment. These too have been published in a volume called Green Poems by Penguin, with my translations.

But as the elections approach, and the level of our political discourse drops to new levels of ugliness, I thought readers might enjoy a sampling of another aspect of Gulzar Bhai’s poetic oeuvre, aptly called Suspected Poems.

Pavan K Varma is an author, diplomat, and former Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha). Just Like That is a weekly column where Varma shares nuggets from the world of history, culture, literature, and personal reminiscences with HT Premium readers. The views expressed are personal