Humair Hashmi’s latest collection of verses presents a gamut of emotions relating to different moods in an individual’s life. The 194 poems that make up his book Verses from My Heart are simple, piercing and deep.

Poetry has come a long way since William Wordsworth famously defined it as “the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings.” In modern versification, the feelings might be powerful, but the diction used has undergone a drastic change.

Prose poetry — that has become the norm of the day — succeeds in some ways and fails in others. It succeeds in presenting different moods and feelings of the poet, but fails to present the same in poetic diction. Hashmi, however, has struck a balance that reduces the lacuna and makes his verses readable.

Verses from My Heart has been dedicated to someone “who brings tears to my eyes and laughter on my lips”, and many of the poems in the book seem to celebrate womanhood. In ‘My Sunshine’, for instance, Hashmi writes:

That I find your essence in
Whatever I call my art.

Certain imagery dominates the collection, such as Sufism, the dove, the phoenix, fire and storm. The dove is symbolic of the love of his life. He cherishes her and feels blessed to have her close to his heart. The recurring symbol of love in the form of the dove inspires him to live and enjoy life, as he ends ‘How My Life Has Changed’ with:

A poetry collection in which the poet is able to successfully entwine his feelings with those of the well-known poets while presenting a work that is uniquely his own

I feel the might
To put things right
Because, my dove so white
Is on my side.

In encapsulating different emotions that encompass different periods of his life, one thing that stands out prominently is Hashmi’s optimism. No matter how dark the clouds are, no matter how hurt he is, he is strong enough to fight the external and internal elements and stand tall. ‘The Passing of the Storm’ is an expression of darkness and dismay, when his heart is in danger of being burned to ash. But the poet perseveres and commands himself:

Wait, but wait,
Mark your time
Good times will come
The sun will shine
That’s a promise of mine.

Again, in ‘Now What’, in the midst of a loneliness where the “vacuum devours me”, he declares:

Stay strong and take it all Be brave, let the sky fall; You are strong and wise You may fall but shall rise

The streak of optimism is once more celebrated in ‘Rise from the Ashes’:

Hard times will move away in full
Till then hang in there and hum
‘Surely man, good times will come.’

In ‘Friends and the Fakir’, one of the many poems that speak of Sufism, the imagery of the naked fakir, striving and clinging to life, never submitting to the ‘gods’ who have forsaken him, is a powerful one. Ultimately, though, it is the ‘gods’ who finally lose the battle as the resolve of the fakir turns out to be “stronger than metal.” This fakir is ever cognisant of his strength. He knows that he has chosen the right path and this enables him to achieve the desired contentment:

He went up to ask the fakir
The secret of his contentment
The fakir smiled but did not comment
And continued his prayers.

The message given is loud and clear: one can acquire contentment by abandoning all wishes of worldly gains, wealth and riches.

Hashmi’s verses strike one as being very close to the realities of life. The pain and laughter one experiences in one’s lifetime is projected very deftly and impresses the readers with its truthfulness. Takes these lines from ‘Your Value, My Dear’:

What is your value? I asked myself,
Perhaps a penny or two.
Demonetised notes, a few?

Indeed, one marvels at the sincerity and depth of feeling contained within Verses from My Heart. These are recollections of life that apply to anyone, whether it be the loss of parents or siblings, or the intrigues of the ‘gods’, the deceptions of the beloved or the steadfastness of the believer. These emotions are universal; anyone can relate.

It is clear that Hashmi — a psychologist, educationist and writer (his last book was The Four Dervishes of Lahore, a collection of his memories about writers Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Dr Nazir Ahmed, Abdullah Malik and artist Shakir Ali) — reads extensively, for it shows through his verses.

‘The New Year’ is a poem that will remind readers of British writer Dame Rose Macaulay’s poem dealing with a similar theme, and ‘How Many Times, My Love’ is reminiscent of Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s sonnet ‘How Do I Love Thee’. However, while the emotions expressed are very similar, the verses have an individuality of their own. Hashmi has been able to successfully entwine his feelings with those of the well-known poets while presenting a work that is uniquely his own.

That being said, it would have been good had the poet not stressed so much to ensure every second line rhymes perfectly with the one preceding. No doubt it balances the rhythm, but on occasion this meticulous insistence leaves a heaviness that fails to balance the thought. Still, the book may be appreciated as a fine collection of diverse emotions expressed well.

The reviewer teaches English literature

Verses from My Heart
By Humair Hashmi
Sang-e-Meel, Lahore
ISBN: 978-9693533729
255pp.

Published in Dawn, Books & Authors, EOS, April 3rd, 2022