Dialogue with haiku pioneer

Dr. Muhammad Amin’s haikus are about colours of nature, personal experiences, widening cleavage between the rich and the poor etc.

Being a multi-faceted personality, he is the author of almost thirty books on poetry, philosophy, literary research and criticism. He has written in Japanese, English, Punjabi and Urdu language as well. His books include translations of Chinese, Japanese poetry and dramas, Japanese-Urdu Reader, Japanese-Urdu Dictionary etc.

Talking about his formative years he said: “Born in Sahiwal in 1947 and educated at Punjab University, Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZK) and Waseda University, Tokyo, I have received several awards and honors. My poetry has appeared in many literary periodicals, has been selected multiple times for poetry anthologies. I was Chairman of BZK University Multan and have been a visiting poet at many forums abroad.”

“Several theses have been written on my works such as Dr. Muhammad Amin Shakseeyat Aur Fun, Professor Dr. Muhammad Amin Ki Adabi, Taleemi Aur Tadreesi Khidmaat ka Jayayza, Dr. Muhammad Amin Ki Shaayeri Ka Tajzeeyati Mutalaya,” he added.

Responding to a question if a great poem can be written in five lines, Dr. Amin said: “Meaningful expression always resides in a relatively few lines of otherwise off-the-point poetry. Greatness is purely a subjective issue. For me, haiku is the sum-total of human feelings.

Dr. Amin claims that he makes his poetry resonant to the ear, whose sound is similar to we recognize as poetry:

Phalsafay ki ketab kholi tu

Sartre kay haroof par titli

Apni hast ki souch men gum thi

Hajoomay shehr tha aur rotioun kay tukray thay

Hamaray hisay ka bas ek nawala kia karta

Tumaray sher mein mai ki sabeel jaari thi

Yeh meray haath mein toota payal kia karta

Responding to a question as to how he developed a taste for haiku he said: “In 1970’s, I visited the Land of Rising Sun for the first time, I stayed there as a student for post graduate research in sociology. There I got certificates in Japanese language.  Haiku spoke to me in ways so new, powerful, intimate, and revelatory that I knew I wanted to read more. As haiku impressed me so I decided to sow it in Urdu. Many consider me as the pioneer of Urdu haiku. My first collection of Urdu haiku appeared in 1981:

Dekhta houn main baar baar garhi

Kia khabar intezaar kis ka hai

Zeest juz intezar aur hai kia

Jamnoun kay darakht sawun mein

Jab bhi barish barasti hai os sham

Jamni rang phail jata hai

“Traditionally, haiku emerges from emotions such as love and hate. But for me, the motivation to write haiku comes from events and people living around as well as past memories,” he said:

Ek purani shakasta almari

Teri tasveer mil gayee muj ko

Kitnay barsoun ki yadain lout ayeen

Ghar ki chokhat udas hai har sham

Surkh pathon ka dher rehta hai

Kia khazan phir se lout aye hai

“My haikus are most often leavened by a seasoning of emotion and depict aspects of human behaviour:

Ek diya adh khulay dareechay mein

Out se jhankta koi chehra

Muntazir hai kisi kay anay ka

Aks dar aks raat dhalti hai

Zard pathoun ka dher choukhat par

Subh ka chaand  kal se pheeka hai

By the time our interview got over, night was about to fall. I said goodbye to him. He stood up and offered me his hand with a smile. I left the place with the memories of his warm smile.