Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai:  “A versatile poet II”
By Saleem Bhutto Lateefi

2. Every one is in him engrossed, his presence every one feels,
Each and every one is ’Mansoors’ how many will you kill?

3. When ruler begins his subject to rob,
Can people live in Malir for long?

4. When those on whom you rely ’deceive,
Poor people, who will their complaint receiver?

5. Other prisoners are at rest, I alone an restless in chains,
My peoples’ memory, hangs like a sword overhead. 

6. In swinging laps are brought warriors frames,
Their wives weep and throw handful of dust on themselves,
They weep and cry aloud, the plain all this commotions resounds.  

7. Neither are the same cotton pods in the plants nor the spinners same,
Seeing their absence in the market, brings me distress.

The poetry that has reached us through the hand written manuscripts and oral traditions includes pieces of various genres  couplets, stanzas and long poems. It is however the each and every verse that is the most popular and have been sung and re-sung in different tunes by the singers, songstresses, and common people of Sindh for more than 250 years. If course poet was not mere entertainer. In his poetry, there are lessons to learn for the mystics, scholars as well as religious leaders and a man from every strata society, rustic and elite alike. There are lessons for each and everyone for all ages. All there harsh lessons he has presented to his readers wrapped in highly exciting nets of words and phrases but harmonized with musical settings. Words are most touching and most impressive, lines a pitty and condemned that so they spell the very breath of his people, directly appealing the hearts of readers.

With scholars delivering deeper and deeper into poet’s work and coming up with fresher meanings, Shah Latif’s poetic luster has shined more brightly with the passage of time. Earnest efforts made by individuals have helped his message to spread far and wide and his popularity to grew vertically and horizontally.

Beginning with the first alphabet which we call need to learn by ’Alif’, is one that connects us with nature, with society and with our inner selves. It is not knowledge for the sake of knowledge or one which divides us from these around us but separates the ’I’ (ego) from ’myself’ and ’us’ from ’ourselves’ and earthly attachments. The connection is important in the concept of ’Meness’ (Unity of Being). What connects with the unity has validity, what diverts or disconnects from Unity is sahicless.

Our great poet disdains such a knowledge that demoralizes us and others, and finally assists in disintegrating our human relationships with others and indeed with our inner selves. Such knowledge is decried by the poet. It is like a self-deserving eddy, a whirlpool which can trap us in itself and alienates us from others and from our inner selves. Such knowledge bocks connecting knowledge symbolized by ’Alif’. The poet not only consider such knowledge useless, but a sinister, as a trap  something the advises us to do without.

1. In their hearts sufferings, lesson they repeat,
contemplation’s slate us hand, in silence they read,
That page alone they persue, wherein Lord is revealed. 

2. Satan alone is lover true, others make empty boast,
Though love’s extreme, sans obedience, accused
The became in heavenly host. 

3. When I persued the lesson, “Am I not your God?”
Why souls’ origin abode I came to know,
Where daily souls true knowledge learn,
Separations wound was heated destiny page was turned. 

To illustrate how the poet uncovers the different shades of meanings of certain verses, he presents the reader with several options. Here lies the climax of allegorical and symbolic interpretations of great poets work and one finds vast vistas of meanings in each and every verse, layer upon layer, as onion unfolds or rainbow columns overshadow each another. 

(Concluded)