Submitted by:
Mudassir Ghaffar (bsf1904199)
Qammar Abbas (bsf1904315)
Anas Shoukat (bsf1904227)
Ayesha Yasin(bsf1904359)
Program: BS English Semester: 8 th
(M) Session: 2019-23
Submitted to: Ma’am Farzana Ashraf
University of Education Township Lahore
DAUD KAMAL’S SHORT BIOGRAPHY
Daud Kamal, also known as the T.S Eliot of Pakistan because of his writing style was born
in Abbottabad in 1935. He studied in Burn Hall, Cambridge School located in Srinagar
and after partition he returned to Abbottabad. For higher studies he went to the
University of Cambridge. After returning, he took up the profession of teaching English
in the University of Peshawar, where he was associated for 29 years of his life.
Kamal began writing poetry in his early twenties but never published. His wife Parveen
stated in an interview that
“Every time I told him to write, he would say ‘it impedes the tempo of my thought.”
The first poem produced by Daud Kamal dates back to August 1, 1965; an anagram
where the first word of each line spells out ‘Ayesha’, the name of his first daughter.
Daud Kamal’s writing style is deeply influenced by the imagist poets of 20th century, like
W.B Yeats and Ezra Pound. According to his daughter Fatima,
“Poetry for him was Yeats and Pound, I have never seen one enjoy reading others’
poems as much as he did,”.
Kamal as a Modern Poet
Daud Kamal due to his poetic style is often associated with modern poetry based on two
basic features. Firstly, Kamal in his poems experimented with many themes as well as
different poetic styles. For example, most of his poems use a disrupted syntax with no
rhyming scheme. This technique was well observed in his poem “Prayer Beads” in which
the whole poem was composed like little fragments of a pearl necklace.
Secondly, imagism is one of the subsets of modernist poetry. Kamal has very beautifully
employed this technique in his poems by incorporating the three guidelines of Imagist
poetry i.e the direct treatment of the subject, use of lesser words, and composition of
poems in a musical phrase. All of his poems exhibit this quality. For instance, the
poem “Resilience” is a short poem in which the poet evokes certain images such
as “Sparks from an old anvil”, “Boats on the river and the flowing almond trees”, “leaf
turns with the wind” and many more with the use of lesser words written in a musical
phrase.
Translation of Urdu Literature:
Despite being inspired by the European poets Kamal did not let go of his ‘Pakistani’
identity. Kamal was equally inspired by Faiz’s poetry. He translated Faiz and Ghalib’s
poetry in English. His translations, which are internationally recognized and used as a
standard to teach Urdu literature in English, are Ghalib: Reverberations, 1970, still
considered to be one of the best translations; and Faiz in English, published in 1984
Dr Nasir Jamal, Vice Chancellor of Kohat University, praises the writing style of Daud
Kamal stating,
“The translation of poetry is like a half open window, borrowed smiles can never
enchant…but Kamal is an exception to this rule”
گل کرو شمعی بڑھا دو ےم و مینا و ایاغ
اپن ب خواب کواڑوں کو مقفل کر لو
اب یہاں کوئ نہی کوئ نہی آب گا
Fill the cups and drink to the lees
The bitter wine of loneliness
Lock up your slumber less doors, dear heart!
For, now no one will ever come again
(Loneliness, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, translated by Daud Kamal)
Daud Kamal won three gold medals and two certificates of recognition in the
international poetry competition in the US, the Faiz award in 1987, and a posthumous
Pride of Performance award in 1990.
Themes of his Poetry:
Kamal was not unaware of what was happening around him. His poetry has a unique
sense of history and the need to connect to the culture of the past – images of
monasteries, miniature paintings, carts and antiques are recurrent themes in his poems.
As Carlo Coppola pointed out, Daud’s poetry is like
“a primordial scripture of people betrayed not only by kings and priests but by
weather, geography, history, foreigners, and most treacherously by each other”
1. Natural and Pastoral Life
Daud Kamal is well known for his representation of natural and pastoral life. As Kamal
was raised in Abbottabad, a city of KPK surrounded by beautiful manifestations of
nature, these images of pastoral life are dominant in his poetry. For instance, the
poem “Prayer Beads” presents before us a scene in which a river is flowing beside a
willow tree. This image by the poet connects us to everyday life in Abbottabad. This
poem by the writer not only presents before us an image taken from pastoral life but is
also written in such a form that it gives out a visual representation of a fish.
Under
The shade
Of a willow tree
Where the river bends
On a rock-pool
Prayer-beads rise
To the surface
From the mouth
Of an invisible
fish
2. Sufism
Sufism is one of the most prominent themes in the poems of Kamal. Kamal in almost all
of his poems project this notion. For instance, in his poem “Prayer Beads”, Kamal
presents the imagery of a prayer bead which is, in fact, a symbol of religiousness and
Sufism. Similarly, in his poem “Resilience” Kamal presents the main idea of
Sufism “Don’t give up: nothing lasts longer than what can be endured”. The text of the
poem “Resilience' is as follow:
Sparks
From an old anvil-
Dedicated petals of fire-
And the rafters
Blackened by generations of smoke,
Don’t give up:
Nothing lasts longer than what can be endured.
Boats on the river
And the flowering almond trees.
3. Cultural Heritage
The representation of culture through different paintings, sculptures, miniatures, and
even traditional dresses are one of the most significant aspects of Kamal’s poetry. Kamal
in his poem “Reproduction” With the help of Mughal miniatures, paintings, and
sculptures of Prince Siddhartha Gautama reflect the culture of Pakistan and also
highlight the immortal nature of a piece of art.
Brief analysis and summaries of poems
Reproductions
The poem starts with the poet observing the Mughal miniatures and Gandhara
sculptures. These miniatures were cut out last year and were displayed last year along
with the Gandhara sculptures. The poet further explains that these pieces of cultural
heritage were only bought and placed for making a song. One can interpret that the
poet criticizes the system in which these pieces of cultural heritage are only bought and
displayed by the people to make songs
In the second stanza, the poet observes many other different miniatures and sculptures.
Upon seeing a miniature the poet remembers the adventure of Prince Siddharta later
known as Buddha, who at the time of night with his royal servant and head charioteer,
Channa saw the four sights. They both traveled past the old Tajiks who at that time were
enjoying their tea in the tent. This historic allusion is employed by the poet to
emphasize the quest of Prince Siddhartha Gautama who from a very early age was
isolated by his father in their house. He with his head charioteer, Channa, for the first
time at the age of 29 traveled out of his house and saw the four sights which were
symbolic of human suffering i.e. an old man (symbolic of aging), a sick person (symbolic
of disease), a corpse being carried to cremation (symbolic of death) and a monk in
meditation beneath a tree.
In the last stanza, the poet sees a painting of almond blossoms and a crow that was
carved out of ebony (dark wood) pushing itself through the rain. Upon seeing these
paintings which present a story of their won the poet points out that he can only
observe these miniatures, paintings, and sculptures and remember the glorious past.
Lastly, the poet points out how he is sitting alone and scratching the rust off the coin.
This scratching off the rust is significant as it is a metaphor employed by the poet. The
poet by observing these pieces of cultural heritage is in fact scratching the rust off from
these glorious stories of the past.
The melodic path : analysis of Daud Kamal The street of nightingale
The serene setting
The melancholic mood
The music of nightingale
The power of memory
The cycle of life
The beauty of simplicity
Kamal targets the mechanical life of urban area through this poem as he talks about
‘exhausted clerks’ that reflects the dilemma of life where human beings have become
the cogs and nuts of the social machine in order to earn for living. This thing also reflects
the idea of ‘capitalism’ as he talks about class differences, restlessness and busy life of
people. He portrays the distorted urban life in beautiful manner by symbolizing it with
sweet singing bird; nightingale. The poet has used different images, or imagery, to
reflect a clear picture of a street at the time of evening. He introduces different people
like clerks, school girls, a little boy, grocer, barber and mid-wife who represent life
through their activities in the street.
Summing up, through the specified images, symbols and embedding connotative
meanings to his words, Kamal has portrayed a scene of a metro street where people are
nothing more than machines that are far away from their traditional values and the
aestheticism of nature.
Detailed Analysis
Daud Kamal’s poem “Reproductions” is a powerful and evocative work that explores the
themes of time, memory, and loss. The poem is set in a museum, where the speaker is
surrounded by reproductions of Mughal paintings and sculptures. As the speaker gazes
at these works of art, they are transported back in time, to a world that is now lost. The
poem is full of rich imagery and symbolism, and it offers a moving meditation on the
nature of time and memory.
One of the most striking things about “Reproductions” is its use of imagery. The speaker
describes the paintings and sculptures in great detail, and their descriptions are full of
vivid sensory imagery. For example, in the first stanza, the speaker describes the “blue
of the sky” and the “white of the clouds” in a Mughal painting. The speaker also
describes the “softness of the skin” and the “warmth of the eyes” in a sculpture of a
Mughal princess. This imagery helps the reader to visualize the paintings and sculptures,
and it also helps to create a sense of atmosphere and mood.
Another striking feature of “Reproductions” is its use of symbolism. The paintings and
sculptures in the museum are not just objects of beauty; they are also symbols of the
past. The Mughal Empire was a powerful and prosperous empire that ruled over much
of the Indian subcontinent for over three centuries. However, the Mughal Empire
eventually collapsed, and its legacy is now largely forgotten. The paintings and
sculptures in the museum are a reminder of this lost empire, and they also serve as a
reminder of the passage of time.
“Reproductions” is a poem that is both beautiful and thought-provoking. It is a poem
that will stay with the reader long after they have finished reading it. The poem is a
reminder of the power of art, and it is also a reminder of the importance of
remembering the past.
The poem “Reproductions” by Daud Kamal explores some main themes,
1. The loss of history and culture
The poem begins with the speaker describing a collection of reproductions of Mogul
miniatures and Gandhara sculptures. These are both important cultural artifacts from
South Asia, but they are also copies of original works that have been lost or destroyed.
The speaker’s collection is a reminder of the loss of history and culture that has
occurred over time.
2. The fleeting nature of beauty
The poem also explores the fleeting nature of beauty. The miniatures and sculptures in
the speaker’s collection are beautiful, but they are also fragile. They are made of paper,
paint, and stone, materials that are easily damaged or destroyed. The speaker’s
collection is a reminder that beauty is fleeting and that it is important to appreciate it
while it lasts.
3. The power of art
Despite the loss of history and culture, and the fleeting nature of beauty, the poem
suggests that art can still have a powerful impact on people’s lives. The speaker’s
collection of reproductions is a reminder of the beauty and power of art. It is a source of
comfort and inspiration for the speaker, and it can be a source of comfort and
inspiration for others as well.
4. The importance of memory
The poem also suggests that memory is important. The speaker’s collection of
reproductions is a way for them to remember the past and to connect with their cultural
heritage. Memory is a way to preserve history and culture, and it is a way to connect
with the people and events of the past.
The passage of time
The poem is full of images of time passing, such as the falling almond blossoms and the
crow pushing itself through the rain. The reproductions of Mogul miniatures and
fragments of Gandhara sculpture are also symbols of the past, as they are copies of
original works that have been lost or destroyed.
The search for meaning
The speaker of the poem is a collector, and he seems to be searching for meaning in his
life through his collection of objects. However, the objects themselves are not enough
to provide him with meaning, and he is left feeling empty and unfulfilled.
The poem “Reproductions” is a meditation on the loss of history, the fleeting nature of
beauty, the power of art, and the importance of memory. It is a poem that is both
beautiful and thought-provoking, and it is a poem that will stay with the reader long
after they have finished reading it.
Symbols
In addition to the themes mentioned above, there are several symbols in the poem. The
reproductions of Mogul miniatures and fragments of Gandhara sculpture are symbols of
the past.
The almond blossoms are a symbol of beauty and the fleeting nature of life. The crow is
a symbol of death and the passage of time.
The rain is a symbol of decay and loss.
Symbolism
Title of the Poem:
The title of the poem is quite symbolic as it portrays the image of a street that is as busy
as nightingales in singing the songs from morning until the night. The symbol of
‘nightingale’ adds a romantic flavor to the poem at first sight.
The symbol of ‘nightingale’ has been used by many poets because of its creative and
apparently spontaneous song as Keats used in “An Ode to Nightingale”.
The use of nightingales in this poem refers to the Wordsworthian concept that “for all
good poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings”.
Nightangle sacrifice herself for the sake of love but here poet compares human to the
nightingale who sacrificed nature for materialism The reference to the bird highlights
the gap between the idealized image of beauty and freedom and the harsh reality of life
in the society in which the speaker lives.
Diction
The language of the poem is simple and colloquial that depicts Wordsworthian concept
that poet is a man speaking to man
Web of Dream:
The liveliest street in town, the web of dreams
This phrase symbolizes the hopes of modern man in his life. Kamal by using this
phrase describes the hollow dreams of modern man. Because I lose the scenes of living
and enjoying that dream just in the hurry to achieve the dreams.
‘web of dreams’ that reflects the urban life full of ambitions, that compel everyone
towards the desire of achieving his/her set goals in life.
Exhausted Clerk:
The word Exhausted is a symbol of chaos and disturbing environment in modern life. As
clerk symbolize civilization and modernism. So the noun phrase Exhausted Clerk shows
the loss of peace in the life of hurry as a modern life.
Irony:
The street's name:
One thing is certain – there‘s no escaping
The street is named after the nightingale, which is a symbol of beauty and freedom.
However, the street itself is described as a trap, suggesting that there is no beauty or
freedom to be found there. This contrast between the idealized image of the nightingale
and the harsh reality of the street is an example of irony.
Themes:
Passage of time
The poem explores the idea of time passing and the changes that come with it.
The theme of the passage of time is also reflected in the descriptions of the other
people on the street. The exhausted clerks and chattering schoolgirls suggest the
routine of daily life and the passing of time, as people return home at the end of the
day. The mention of the "fat old whore-turned-midwife" and the wayside barber who
tells "jokes filthier than he looks.
The final lines of the poem, "Even the sky is heading somewhere," create a sense of
movement and urgency, reminding the reader that time is constantly moving forward.
Social Class
The theme of social class is also present in the poem. The mention of the "tight-fist
grocer" suggests that there are economic disparities within the community, with some
individuals having more wealth and power than others. As the writer said: "our fat old
whore-turned-midwife"This suggests that there may be individuals in the modern
community who have been marginalized due to their past or their social status.
Escapism:
The term escapist literature refers to fiction that provides a psychological escape from
depressing and grave realities of every day by immersing the readers in fantastical or
imaginative situations and events.
Escapism shows a tendency to run away from reality, the responsibilities and routine of
real life.
In poem when kamal says:
The liveliest street in town, the web of dreams..(stanza 1)
The sky is heading out somewhere(last stanza).
The sense of entrapment that the narrator describes, combined with the suggestion that
everything is moving towards an unknown destination, implies a desire to escape from
the mundane and ordinary aspects of [Link] "nightingales" and "the sky
heading somewhere" can be interpreted as symbols of escape and freedom.
Romanticism:
Duad kamal got inspiration from romanticism and we can see it in his style, diction,
coherence in poem. Literature of romanticism includes subjectivity and an emphasis on
individuality and spontaneity.
We see connection between kamal's poetry and in romantic poetry especially in "The
street of nightingales". Both focus on interest in the common man, Strong senses,
emotions, and feelings, Awe of nature, Celebration of the individual,have Importance of
imagination.