Contemporary · 1952–1994 · Karachi – Islamabad
Parveen Shakir, born in Karachi, published her first collection "Khushbu" at 24 and changed what the Urdu ghazal could say: a woman speaking of love, longing and selfhood in the first person. A civil servant by profession, she wrote five collections before dying in a road accident at 42. Her fragrance-and-rain imagery remains instantly recognizable.
samundaron ke adhar se koi sada aai
dilon ke band dareeche khale hua aai
sarak gae the jo aanchal wo phir sanwaare gae
khale hue the jo sar un pe phir rida aai
utar rahi hain ajab khoshboyin rag w pay mein
ye kis ko chhoo ke mire shahar mein saba aai
use pukaara toh honton pe koi naam na tha
mohabbaton ke safar mein ajab faza aai
kahin rahe wo magar khairiyat ke saath rahe
uthaae haath toh yaad ek hi dua aai
ruki hui hai abhi tak bahaar aankhon mein
shab wisaal ka jaise khumaar aankhon mein
mita sake gi use gard maah w saal kahan
khanchi hui hai jo tasweer yaar aankhon mein
bas ek shab ki masaafat thi aur ab tak hai
mah w nujoom ka saara ghubaar aankhon mein
hazaar saahab rakhash saba mizaaj aae
basa hua hai wahi shah sawaar aankhon mein
wo ek tha pe kya us ko jab tah talwaar
toh bat gaya wahi chehra hazaar aankhon mein
nam hain palkein tiri ai mauj hua raat ke saath
kya tujhe bhi koi yaad aata hai barsaat ke saath
rothne aur manaane ki hadein milne lagin
chashm poshi ke saleeque the shakaaeeaat ke saath
tujh ko kho kar bhi rahoon khalwat jan mein teri
jeet paai hai mohabbat ne ajab maat ke saath
neend laata hua phir aankh ko dukh deta hua
tajarbe donon hain waabasta tire haat ke saath
kabhi tanhaai se mahroom na rakkha mujh ko
dost hamadrad rahe kitne miri zaat ke saath
khayaal w khawaab hua barg w baar ka mausam
bichhad gaya tiri soorat bahaar ka mausam
kai ruton se mire neem wa dareechon mein
thahar gaya hai tire intizaar ka mausam
wo narm lahje mein kuchh toh kahe ki lot aae
samaaaton ki zamin par phwaar ka mausam
payaam aaya hai phir ek sarw quamat ka
mire wajood ko kheenche hai daar ka mausam
wo aag hai ki miri por por jalti hai
mire badan ko mila hai chanaar ka mausam