ive years ago, as I sat through lectures on South Asian literature, moved by the integration and celebration of Pakistani identity in the curriculum, I came across the poet M Athar Tahir. Tahir, Tamgha-i-Imtiaz, Sitara-i-Imtiaz, a Rhodes scholar, obtained his BA (Hons) and master’s degrees from Oxford University. His creative and critical work in English, as well as his translations from Urdu and Punjabi, have been published both in Pakistan and internationally.

Tahir has contributed to the society through his books on literature, art and culture, which have earned recognition and awards both nationally and internationally. He is the editor of The Oxford Companion to Pakistani Art. Tahir and Waqas Khawaja have also shared their experience of participating in Lahore’s informal poetry gatherings, which Taufiq Rafat and Kaleem Omar conducted. His work on Punjabi poetry, Qadir Yar: A Critical Introduction – originally written for Rafat’s translation of Puran Bhagat – received the 1990 Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai Award and the 1991 National Book Council Prize.

Telling Twilight (2024) is a collection of sonnets that offers a captivating experience for poetry lovers. Melodious yet mathematical, each piece attempts to capture the essence of contemporary humanity – the pervasive ambiguity and constant transitions woven into the very fabric of life.

Fourteen good measur’d verses make a sonnet. — Robert Burns

Telling Twilight has received critical acclaim from numerous scholars. As noted by Dr Faisal Nazir in the Introduction, Stephan Regan describes the sonnet as: “Primarily a love poem… its condensed expression of ideas and emotions, its elaborate use of rhyme and rhythm for eloquent, persuasive speech.”

Tahir’s latest collection showcases his mastery of a wide range of themes through 140 sonnets. Despite the diversity of content, his compact and precise expression remains commendable, adhering to the 3 Cs of effective writing: clarity, conciseness and coherence.

The musicality and integration of sensory experiences in Tahir’s sonnets lend them a synesthetic quality. Perfume Sonnet, in particular, takes readers on an enchanting sensory journey, making it a standout piece in the collection.

The perfume I compose has relief squeezed

From clouds, the glow

fire-flies leave behind

Colours the sea forgot and

cannot find

And sounds the surf lost to the sand and ceased

The sonnets portray a double movement: love, as a personal feeling expressed through natural imagery, is universalised; simultaneously, as Dr Faisal Nazir observes, universal natural imagery infused with love is personalised. Apart from this, expressing such ideas in a foreign language while employing appropriation poses a significant challenge for the poet. However, each piece remains inherently Pakistani in its origin while achieving a global resonance.

The ‘twilight’ in the title of the collection reflects a deliberate blurring of binaries and realities, creating an inclusive ambience while recreating memories and narratives. The poet feels an intense urge to “tell twilight,” exploring its personal and metaphysical dimensions while tracing the roots of the English sonnet. The collection demonstrates thematic diversity, addressing questions of self-doubt, creative impulses, unrequited love, ageing and reflections on the Quran.

These sonnets, lyrical in nature, draw heavily on metaphors and symbolism from everyday life and events – a quality reminiscent of the writings of Tahir’s mentor, Taufiq Rafat. Tahir’s ability to craft immaculate imagery lends his poetry a transcendental quality. His exploration of culture, history and religious and mystical experiences is carefully re-imagined, striking an equilibrium that achieves a perfect balance.

In a desensitised and dehumanised contemporary era, reflecting on love as an all-encompassing force becomes a formidable task. The ability to perceive love as a universal energy that binds everything within its radius is a rare attribute. The sonnets in this collection transcend individual experience, representing the collective we rather than the solitary I.

Come let us shrink the

distance, of countless

Lis across great mountain

ranges, of more

Than a millennium,

of sounds, before

Our languages intrude to

express

The moon beckoning in

River Yangtze.

The same full moon I see

on the Ravi.

Telling Twilight weaves together the diverse sensibilities of the writer – as a poet, artist, and art critic – while skilfully utilising the conventional forms of the sonnet.

Telling Twilight

Author: M Athar Tahir

Publisher: University of Punjab, Lahore, 2024

Pages: 180

Price: Rs 1,300

The reviewer is a lecturer at the Department of English Language and Literature, Kinnaird College for Women, Lahore.