Brief Explanation as a Poet
By: Dr. Maqsood Jafri

Dear Mr. Malik Ali Adil,

Thank you for your e-mail.  You have asked me to reply some of the questions posed by you about my literary career. You are rightly informed that I have written poetry in English, Persian, Urdu, Kashmiri and Punjabi. Besides, I also read French and Arabic and occasionally versified in these languages as well. As you have mentioned that you have read some of my works in poetry and prose on internet and found me deeply committed with human values and human rights. I have been a staunch pioneer of love, freedom, justice, democracy, moderation and humanity.  By now my 25 books of poetry and prose have been published. In English my four poetry books are:" Visions and Vistas", "Seeds of Sanity," Love and Liberty." and " Songs of Humanity."  The last book titled" Songs of Humanity" was published in 2009 by an American publishing company Author House, Indiana, USA. It became very popular in America and is available at: www. amazon.com.  Now, I briefly reply your questions.
Q1: What were the circumstances that led you to be come a writer?
Ans: In my opinion poets are born poets. They can not be produced in factories like chattel. Poetry in an intermittent inspiration. It is an intuitive experience. No body can become a poet with out natural gift or inspirational endowment. If a person possess the natural poetic gift, he can polish it with his power of imagination, observation and experimentation. The poets are of two types; introvert and extrovert. The introvert poets share inner experiences and are more romantic than the others. In Urdu poetry, the writers of Ghazal are mostly introvert. The people who study life and write on social and political issues are extrovert. we can say that the Love-- poets are introvert and the Life-- poets are extrovert. Some of the poets share both experiences. They are equally good at both; love poetry and life poetry. My poems reflect both aspects of human psyche. I have written on romance and revolution. The given situations, circumstances and environment do influence the mind of poets. I have diametrically opposed fascism, dictatorship, religious and racial discrimination, feudalism and monarchy.
Q2: What is the need and significance of Pakistani literature in English?
Ans: Pakistan is a country of multi- cultures and multi-languages.  We have local jargon, Urdu as national language and English as official and academic language. Urdu is not a developed language. It is under process of becoming a mature language. It is our national duty to saturate and develop our national language. But, we must not ignore the educational, scientific and international importance of English language. We must adopt these two languages to meet our national and international needs. They should not be considered as rival languages. They are our dire need and we must promote both to keep pace with the fleeting needs of time. Time spirit can not overlooked.
Q3: In which language you enjoy literature most and why?
Ans:  I enjoy literature in all the languages I know. But there is no parallel to Persian poetry. Persian poetry is very musical and lyrical. This is the reason our great Urdu poets Mirza Ghalib and Dr. Iqbal wrote Persian poetry. Persian poetry is sweet and rich. But now it is not in vogue in Pakistan. The Urdu poets must read Persian language to polish and perfect Urdu idiom and diction.
Q4: Should we prefer Urdu literature or English literature as Pakistani students and citizens?
There is no question of preference. Both the languages Urdu and English are our requirement. Matthew Arnold was of the opinion that every person must know two languages; national language and one any foreign language. The foreign language is a gate to knowledge. We must not close the windows of mind. In America and England every student has to learn one foreign language. English has become an international language. John Milton wrote poetry in Latin and English. Dr. Iqbal wrote poetry in Persian and Urdu. Some critic are of the opinion that one should write poetry in ones' mother tongue. It is an antique and obsolete philosophy. In earlier times, people have no access to other states and languages. They studied primary courses in their mother tongue. There was no higher education. No science and no technology. Now, the world has become a global village. The cultures are intermingled. The Pakistanis are quite good at English. Our higher education is in English. Some write in English and some in Urdu. We must write in both languages. Both are our languages. My mother tongue is Kashmiri but I am not as fluent and articulate in Kashmiri language as I am in English. The reason being I got higher education in English languages as it is an advanced language when compared to my mother tongue.
Q5:  What do you advise to the students of English literature?
Ans:  My humble advice to the Pakistani students of English literature is that they should read American, Canadian and Australian literature besides the limited prescribed British literature. They should also read English translations of world literature. The Pakistani students of English literature should also learn proper Urdu and read the Urdu Masters such as Mir Taqi Mir, Mirza Ghalib, Dr. Iqbal and Faiz Ahmed Faiz. They are our literary assets. If they are not good at Urdu, they should  read them through translation done in to English