It is said that we are living in the age of the novel, but this is not the case in our part of the world, i.e., the Punjab. A lot of poetry is being written, and mushairas (public poetry recitations) still pull crowds. The case of contemporary Punjabi poets is enigmatic and unusual. There is an unbridgeable gap between the poets who recite in mushairas and those who never do so.

Poems read at the mushairas are fairly straightforward. You cannot say if and for how long this poetry will survive in the books. Another cluster of poets has enriched their poetry by reading world poets, who have imbibed their literary tradition, too. Some of the Punjabi poets are increasingly writing poetry in their mother tongue.

Unlike the mushaira poets, they seldom read their poetry in public. One such poet is Haseem Javed, whose maiden collection, T r Andar NaubatVajj (A kettle-drum beats in your heart,) has been recently published by Kitab Trinjan, Lahore.

Here is one of his poems:

The poet was born in Ram Gali in the Gowalmandi area in the old Lahore. His ancestors had come from Amritsar. Javed has been quietly writing poetry for four decades without caring to publish it in a magazine or recite it in a mushaira. Reading his poetry is like reading Pakistan’s political and social history: he has written about almost every issue in the society.

His poetry voices the unsaid. He has been teaching English for more than three decades at the Islamia College. His love for the Punjabi language and culture knows no bounds. Having read classical and modern Punjabi literature, his language is robust, rich and metaphoric.

As a teacher of English literature, he is well-versed in the use of various tools of poetry. Sometimes he amazes the reader with his skill.

Some Punjab poets are increasingly coming round to writing poetry in their mother tongue. They seldom read their poetry in public.

Let us see another poem:

Another not so well known poet is Asim Sana, a banker living in New York. Born near a calm and serene lake near Aik, village Aora, the ancient city of Sialkot, is the city of the famous Jogi Puran Bhagat. He studied in some of the most prestigious educational institutions of the Punjab, including the Foreman Christian College and the University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore, before McGill in Montreal, Canada. Even though he lives in New York, he continues to hark back to Pakistan. As he says in his maiden book of poetry, K am r

Deeply rooted in Punjabi culture, Sana has cherished his native language from a young age. In the preface to his collection, he reflects on his first poem, Supna (Dream), penned in the eleventh grade. He describes how the poem seemingly travelled through him, emerging onto the paper via his pen. Sana acknowledges his debt to his language for every word he writes. In his poetry, he often speaks of returning to his native village, a journey he makes not in reality but through the vivid dreams he shares with the readers.

Ikramul Haq is a distinguished scholar with extensive education. He also writes poetry in his mother tongue, Punjabi, reflecting a deep connection to his cultural roots. An advocate of the Supreme Court, Haq holds advanced degrees in literature, journalism and law. He specialises in income tax and economics.

Born in the historic Temple Road neighbourhood in Lahore, his language is rich and poetically nuanced. His latest poetic work, Phull Kikkar n D , has been recently published by Kitab Trinjan. It offers readers a profound insight into his lyrical prowess and deep cultural engagement.

The writer is a Lahore-based Punjabi poet, academic and short story writer.He was a Dhahan Prize finalist in 2014 and 2020 for Shahmukhi books.