Words' worth!

I know I will not be able to express what I am trying to write in this post, but I will give it a try nonetheless.

I feel, we can categorise great poetry into two classes. One - pure good poetry, a good flow and rhythm, amazing choice of words that tells a tale within the confines of the meter. When you read them, you realise penning them down requires God-gifted talent. Someone like Rabindranath Thakur. He could create the same magic on the most complex and most trivial of topics. I believe, he could write a masterpiece - if he felt like - even on seeing the straining of tea at the roadside stall.

The other class is difficult to explain. These just leave you zapped. And it is impossible to imagine what thoughts, feelings and experiences lie buried in the foundation, upon which the words are erected. Written by geniuses no doubt, but it seems these breed of poets were taught by none other than Life himself. It is very easy to appreciate once you read them - but once you try to think what could have possibly brought such perspectives in their minds, you are bound to lose your way.

The essence of good writing lies in bridging the gap between feeling and expression - and one of the widest lies in me. And, if I am thinking a million, I can put only a hundred to paper and speak out just, maybe, ten. This remains the biggest reason that I have not decided to take up writing seriously.

Coming back to what I was saying, I thought of writing this after I was hearing one of my favourite ghazals sometime back. Though all the couplets are amazing, the one that made me write this was -

Iss shaher-e-be-charagh mein jayegi tu kahan?
Aa, ay shab-e-firaaq tujhe ghar hi le chale.

Each time I try to fathom what went through Nasir Kazmi's mind when he wrote these lines, I get baffled beyond recovery. It's something like this if I dare translate -

Where would you wander in this lightless night?
Come, o night of separation, I will take you to my home.

:)