Qasim Kashmiri
“THE WAIL OF THE WOODS” is the collection of poems encompassing more than hundred poems that highly bridge the grounds of hope, affliction, antagonism, containment and the margins of distress. The book is intellectually twisted with deep thoughts of uprising that fills the inward fractions of person to dream with new hope and devotion.
Zakir Malik has portrayed the images of bloodshed that has been violating the circumstances of the Kashmir valley for decades. The poems inside the book deeply touch the pain of dwellers of the valley. As a poet Zakir has narrated the tenderness of every person dwelling in conflict-ravaged valley that undergoes and experiences death every day.
Poetry often gives some specific and definite insights of living and sheer imagination but the attempt of the author has bewildered me. He pens harsh reality of life in his poetry. Zakir Malik is a fantastic artist who can paint on the canvas of white pages a melody of well-chosen words, which deliver an intense message crafted in beautiful diction and tasteful language.
The book not only reveals the artistic approach of Zakir to the readers but also lays bare far-reaching outlook of his philosophy itself. The multiple prospects in the verses in the book “The Wail of The Woods”, will win the interest of audience and greatly meet up the expectations of the readers hungry for quality literature. The beautiful grip that Zakir has on his reader’s psyche of ‘what next’ takes the book to the highest horizons of wisdom and courage.
Most of the contemporary poetry books let us surge into skies with our closed eyes into the dream world. On the contrary the poems of ‘The Wail of The Woods’ penetrates deep inside the soul and compels one to ponder and search for the answer to questions posed. Zakir then goes on to provide answers which raise the readers confidence with renewed sky touching dreams and hopes. Moreover Zakir Malik succeeded to wing up his readers with ears of passion, eyes of longing and flow of unbridled tongue. Though, I wonder how Zakir Malik will deal with generic poetry themes of beauty and nature. Reading this book will definitely compel the reader to resemble the work with many famous bards although there are the poems that takes one to the world of uprising with soul and body.
A writer should make the strong endeavour to bring forward the novel familiarity to the audience and this is the book that gives the reflection of oceanic rapture and absolute wisdom to move on. I strongly believe that author is going to be counted in the iconic writers of the Kashmir in the years ahead. His work will definitely rock in every nook of the world.
The eye-catching page layout done by the publisher, The Indian Wordsmith, is another thing I must make positive mention of. The beautiful book cover, the paper quality, the layout of pages comes bundled in the well-produced paperback book. Price may seem a bit high, but with escalating costs of book publication, I found it reasonable. Anyways the content of the book provides solace of every penny, well spent. In the end I may sum it up in these words, ‘Zakir Malik is a poet, of whom, we will hear a lot in the future’.
- Qasim Kashmiri, is pursuing doctorate in English Literature and is a poet and novelist. He is author of two poetry books and a novel ‘The Ashes’.
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