Ayaz Ammar: Pioneer of modern Sindhi romantic poetry

Poetry is one of the genres of literature that heals the inner wounds of a person which he is unable to disclose to society, fearing they might worsen, says Ayaz Ammar Sheikh, a household name and Sindhi poet of the modern era.

Ayaz has taken romantic Sindhi poetry to new heights and on a discrete path to attract today’s youth to literature. Born in Sujawal on February 5, 1977, Ayaz was not a born poet but as time went by his deep observation and cordial affiliation with his people and land made him a unique poet who, in a very short period, achieved remarkable fame across Sindh, particularly in Larr (lower) region of the province.

Talking about different approaches of a poet toward the society, Ayaz Amar said that a poet always analyzed society in a distinguished manner that no one else could because they had a deep understanding of human behavior, feelings, and emotions.

“A poet can identify discrepancies and flaws of the society and persuade people to correct those flaws,” he observed. Some poets resorted to revolutionary poetry while the majority of them rely on glamour and romance as the subject matter of their poetry, he said during an interview with Minute Mirror.

To fill romance in the poetry, he said, one should have deep feelings for someone and the treasure of words to express those feelings bluntly and smoothly. “To become a poet of all ages one has to be consistent with those feelings that usually emerge at a young age and then fade away at a later age,” he said.

When asked about his inclination towards poetry, he said that in 1996, during his first year at Sindh Agriculture University Tando Jam, he wrote the first poem that was published in a local magazine, thereafter he never looked back and continued to express his thoughts poetically.

“I consider Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai an inspiration for all the poets of Sindh, followed by Sheikh Ayaz, Ustad Bukhari, and Imdad Hussaini,” said Ayaz and added that Sarvech Sujawali and Muhammad Khan Majeedi, both of whom hailed from his homeland, were his sources of motivation as well.

The famous books of Ayaz Ammar’s poetry include Slab Jo Sad, Kala Jee Kainat and Add Wadiyal Awaz. English translation of his poetry, titled ‘Dream of Blind Eyes’, compiled by Mushtaq Saeed, will soon be in the hands of readers.