Shafkat Aziz is a young, wonderful children’s poet who writes his poems not only in local and national platforms but also in international journals and magazines. He is associated with the teaching job for past many years also. His poems are well taken by his readers especially by youth and literary circles. His most poems are well crafted and skilfully composed which please the readers. “The Cuckoo’s Voice” is his debut poetry collection published by Wullar Publishing House, Sangam Anantnag. It is a 83 page book comprising of 70 beautifully written poems having different themes and central ideas. It is well designed and it’s cover is eye catching. Hailing from North Kashmir’s border district of Kupwara, Shafkat Aziz is a peace lover, having affinity for nature and understands children’s emotions and aspirations as is reflected in his poems while we go through this beautiful collection. The foreword of this compilation is written by Zakir Malik a young columnist, poet, reviewer and critic. On it’s page 6 Zakir Malik writes “Shafkat Aziz has a strong grip over his diction , especially when it comes to children’s literature , it requires a lot of practice, time & endeavours to deliver the rhyme scheme, keeping in mind the lucidity of language. Every poem seems fit for children repeat in mind and to remember them”. Dr Farhat Pir a doctorate scholar from Kashmir University’s English department writes about the book on page 9 “While going through the children’s poetry book by Shafkat Aziz, I felt that the poems are lucid and easy to digest”. Farooq Shaheen secretary Adbi Markaz Kamraz writes about the author in this book on page 10 “When someone is deprived of something special in his childhood, it pains him a lot and this pain accompanies him until his last breathe. But someone with his knack presents his pain beautifully before the world and compels the world to think about him. The story of the writer Shafkat Aziz is the same”. The preface of the book is written by the author himself on page 12 as he writes “The book -The Cuckoo’s Voice” written by me, is a book of poetry for children whom I have always loved and whose company I have always enjoyed in the schools where I have taught”. The opening poem of this book is “Had I Wings” on page 13 written in a comprehensive style to be easily understood by children – ‘Had I Wings, I Would Fly,
Away from the earth to the sky
To be free from the earthly wars’. On page 14 Shafkat has written another poem “My land is beautiful” wherein he compliments his homeland and it’s natural environment. ‘My land is beautiful
Everything is cheerful.
Birds chirp far and near,
Colourful flowers are everywhere’. In order to shape the better personality of innocent children and to develop their morale, literary material in the form of poems can do wonders for them as they are fond of poems, rhymes and lullabies. Shafkat Aziz is doing the same for little buds as is evident from this one on page 16
‘Always tell the truth,
Never a lie.
Always talk in a low voice,
Never high.
Always do right,
Never wrong’. The concept of oneness of Allah can better be infused in children if right literary material is taught in their early years of childhood. Shafkat has written this one on page 17
‘Allah is one
We all know.
Before him
We should bow’. To be a Muslim by name is easy but to be a practising Muslim is the crux of our religion. Qualities of a true Muslim can very well be taught to children through poems as has been tried by Shafkat on page 26 ‘True Muslims read the Holy Quran.
True Muslims rush to Masjid
On listening to Azaan’. This one on page 30 depicts the rhyming style of Shafkat-Be brave enough to break
The walls of hatred that people make.
Be brave enough to speak
Against those who oppress the weak’. Racial discrimination is highly discouraged in civilized societies. This concept is also engraved in the book on page 32 ‘Whether your colour is black or white,
You are humans, don’t fight.
You breathe in the same air everywhere,
You need the same water to put out a fire’. Author aspires for a peaceful world wherein he wishes to dwell. It is evident from this on page 38 ‘I love the world
Where people are
Always at peace, never at war.
I love the world
Where people do
Good even to their foe’. Good children have some special qualities for which they are exceptional for their parents. Shafkat has written a poem about certain such qualities on page 46-
‘I am a good child,
I am not wild.
I am pure at heart,
I am careful and smart’. While going through the pages of the book readers come to the conclusion that Shafkat has a strong grip on poetry and he knows how to craft an adorable poem containing a message or a fact. He plays well with the English words as can be felt by this one on page 46 ‘Some people do good, some do bad
Some are happy, some are sad
Some people laugh, some cry
Some tell the truth, some tell a lie
Some people are coward, some are bold
Some wear rags, some wear gold
Some people feel ill, some feel well
This is a true story I tell’. When humans do crimes and fiddle with the natural laws, ultimately they face the wrath of Allah in many forms. Shafkat has written the same in the form of a poem on page 57 ‘O Man do you know
Why there is a storm?
Everywhere on the earth
You commit a crime’. Suicide cases are increasingly witnessed due to varied reasons presently. It is prohibited in Islam and every attempt at governmental level is made to check it. Shafkat has highlighted the same on page 61 ‘Don’t end your life,
There is no gain.
Gather your courage
To face every pain’. On page 66 Shafkat has written another poem “ Mother” depicting her love for her children. Infact mother is the unique gift from Allah for us – ‘My mother is so nice,
She tells me about thrice,
Interesting stories on Sundays,
Of her happy past days’. Author’s love and strong bond for birds can be felt while reading these lines on page 71 ‘BEAUTIFUL BIRDS
O little beautiful birds!
Come very soon,
In my garden flowers have grown.
Come and enjoy
Their beauty and fragrance,
Come and sing for me
Come at once’. Inculcating good habits and better manners among our children is our primary duty. They are our future citizens. Shafkat has performed that duty by compiling this beautiful one on page 77 ‘ Before you enter, always knock,
While someone talks, don’t talk.
Greet everyone you meet,
Don’t talk while you eat’. Every person on this planet is endowed with some special powers and skills. That is why they perform different duties or tasks as per their cognitive abilities. Shafkat Aziz has beautifully tried to make the children understand the same through this poem on page 80 ‘Everyone can’t fly a plane,
Everyone can’t cure one’s pain,
Everyone can’t go to the space,
Everyone can’t win a race’. Children are our future. If children are fed the right things right from their childhood there is no doubt that our future generation would be of morally and intellectually developed citizens. Teachers, doctors, engineers and philosophers of the future would comprise of genius and efficient manpower. So it is utmost important to up-bring the children by teaching them upright things. Litteratuers can play a great role in developing our nation by creating better literary materials for readers especially for children. In my opinion i am of the view that Shafkat Aziz is doing a great job, an excellent social service and he is living for a noble cause to make our children better citizens and making them to feel happy and pleased.
ABOUT THE REVIEWER
Rayees Ahmad Kumar is a a columnist and hails from Qazigund Kashmir.
