Poetry as a genre has seen much evolution. William Wordsworth rejected the laboured exercise of writing poetry and declared that poetry should be written in “the real language of men”, and that it should be “the spontaneous overflow of feeling.” Yet the Wordsworthian definition of poetry underwent more changes. Metre, rhyme and rhythm started to take a backseat and more emphasis was placed on the process of thinking, the issues discussed, the emotions revealed. When T.S. Eliot said, “People are only influenced in the direction in which they want to go, and influence consists largely in making them conscious of their wishes to proceed in that direction,” the reader comprehends what he is hinting at. Modern poetry may lack the lyrical quality of yesteryears’, but it is rich in imagery. The emotions expressed are evocative, and the poet succeeds in getting her/his message through.

Life’s Triangle by Syeda Henna Babar Ali comprises verses steeped in nostalgic memories. She shares a story of loss that seems to be immense and traumatic; she is seen fighting the depression that envelops her like a shroud. ‘Faisal-I’ recounts the pain and anguish of one who has gone through the experience of watching a loved one suffer:

“The lakes in my eyes fill/ When I see a racing heartbeat/ Scanned through an echo-machine/ Racing faster than a spindle.”

A collection of contemporary poems that succeed in getting their message across

Innumerable poems have been written about the state of separation caused by death. The intensity of pain borne by the one who is left behind is deep. In ‘Missing You’, Ali finds solace in photographs of the dear departed:

“Your photographs adorn my room/ My heart lives with moments/ In time waiting to see you again/ Speak to you and be with you/ Dreams fill my life with hopes/ Of sitting together in the armchair of time.”

What makes Ali’s verses touching is the simplicity with which the feelings are expressed, taking them almost to the periphery of spiritual experience. In ‘Emptiness-I’ she writes:

“The wall lapsed in time/ You and I spend a circle/ Of circumstances, crushing stones/ At the pyramid.”

Life’s Triangle expresses the various angles life presents to a person, as the poet herself declares in the preface: “The environment around me and life’s experience has been absorbed, assimilated and transformed into the poetic dimension.” The poems explore diverse topics, with such telling titles as ‘What People Say’, ‘June in Lahore’, ‘Motherhood’, ‘Women’s Rights’, ‘Hunger’ and ‘Jealousy’. The subjects have been tackled in a manner such that the reader can feel the sincerity and compassion. The kaleidoscope is vast; it invites the reader to meditate and comprehend the situation the poet is trying to amplify:

“What about those who/ Drink water from/ The same pond/ That cattle, donkeys/ Dogs, cats, drink?” (‘Hunger’).

‘Women’s Rights’ throws light on the dire need to lend voice against the crimes involving women:

“Rape, hunger, poverty/ Are crimes against women/ When will women of the world unite/ To protect their rights/ And exercise them?/ Fight abuse, slavery, prostitution?/ When will our thoughts change?/ When will we live for ourselves?/ When will we be ourselves?”

Life’s Triangle reflects Robert Frost’s words, “In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.” Ali seems to be fighting the same battle, compromising with a life left incomplete due to the passing away of a loved one. She seems to have accepted that life does go on. In ‘The Time Has Come’ she writes:

“The time has come/ For me to be/ At ease with myself/ The time has come/ For me to say no to others/ The time has come/ For me to say yes to myself.”

As a modern poet Ali uses symbols and imagery that are mostly found in the verses of this century. The mention of emails and iPhones gives a realistic touch to the “spontaneous overflow of feeling.” However, the essence of Ali’s verses lies in the depth of her feelings, in the way she has explored herself juxtaposed with the outer world, and most of all, in the varied hues life presents and how these are absorbed. The poems are personal, yet have a universal dimension as these emotions are shared by a multitude of people around us.

The reviewer is a teacher of English Literature

Life’s Triangle
By
Syeda Henna Babar Ali
Le-Topical, Lahore
ISBN: 978-9699251905
148pp.

Published in Dawn, Books & Authors, May 28th, 2017