Waqas: How you feel when you attend poetry events. is it difficult to preside the session?
Abbas Tabish: “Yes, I feel honour and joy to be there in event. No, it is not difficult. Its a pleasure that I am senior and there is disadvantage as well. I have seen in our seniors that when their turn is there, half the hall or public leaves at that time.”
Waqas: How you handle the hierarchy of the mushaira. Did u get complains?
Abbas Tabish: “Its old issue. Every poet has decided its position and he wants to recite after particular one. I faced it in my life as well but I never ask about where I want to recite. these are the real issues in our community even when I preside the session, I got these complains.”
Waqas: Do you think the public is judgmental and they mostly understand poetry theme or message?
Abbas Tabish: “There are different opinions. Poetry leaves its impact. Flowery language has its impact. Unfortunately, poets do not keep the subject in their mind. They do give the surprising lines or poetry and the life or fame of such poetry is very limited.”
Waqas: How do you approach feedback and criticism and how it impacts your poetry?
Abbas Tabish: “I always welcome criticism. There is lot of criticism. Its not in recent years, its from that time when I published my first book in 1986. There are two types of response. one will call you better than Ghalib and others will respond that it is nothing. both are not true. The first one is exaggeration and second is really false but you have to listen it. I do read any feedback or response and especially the criticism and I do think on it that whether it is true. It helps me a lot. We should not mind any comment. I never react even people put personal comments. I do give them respect.”
Waqas: How you take the poets which writing patriotic poetry or some resistance against the state to get overnight fame and popularity?
Abbas Tabish: “Its very difficult question but I am very clear on it. What is resistance? we must know that whether it is against government or anti state. Whether we have Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Ahmad Faraz, Akhtar Hussain Jafri or Habib Jalib, they did not write against state. Its my county and its like my mother. I can write against the government and not against the state. They think that to write against the state is resistance its not resistance, in fact it is betrayal. They should be punished. A poet should reflect the time and era of his living. Socio political things should be portrayed in our life. Many of our columnist do write that Faiz and Faraz were not patriotic but then we saw them writing them patriotic. Many of our so called and self-made resisted poets are not on the right track. they are not loving their country and are not on right track. They should think on it.”
Waqas: Other than Urdu language, is there any other language you want to write poetry?
Abbas Tabish: “Basically, I am Saraiki speaking and my mother language is Saraiki. But my poetry learning was done in Urdu and many immigrant poets from cities like Rohtak and Delhi were in our city. So, sitting among them, I learned Urdu. I always wish to write in my mother language. I even regret that I should write in Saraiki as well. If there is Dasht-e Qais but I have not seen it. I make Dasht-e Qais to Cholistan. Here used to flow river Hakra, there were birds on its bank. That river turned into desert and the birds migrated to Russian states. Now in particular weather, they visit their houses as they had memory in their DNA and millions of birds dies in this warm weather. We are Cholistani and we write Cholistan.”
Waqas: Which city you love the most to be invited there and have you ever asked someone that you want to be invited in some event?
Abbas Tabish: “No, I have not any dream city where I want to be invited and I have never requested any one that they should invite me in some event. You will not find any one who does so. Poets approach the organizers and want to be invited. Alhamdulillah, I am invited in all big events like Rekhta, Faiz festival and others.”
Waqas: Do you think that social media is helping a lot to got overnight fame and the poets should be dependent on it or they should show patience as their time will come?
Abbas Tabish: “No doubt. There are many blessings of social media. But on the other hand, there are some negatives of it as well. The most important of them is that now the youth does not put efforts on poetry. In the beginning, the young poets will write two three Ghazals and social media will portray it some extraordinary one. Then he will think that he will do poetry like that. Bu this is not true. Then you have to study. You have to learn the poetry. So, in this way they become the big names but they can not do poetry.”
Waqas: Does any one come with a request that he wants to be poet?
Abbas Tabish: “Yes, there are many. They come up and send their poetry. I guide them as much as i can despite my busy schedule. Many of them have this potential and in this time of social media, many of them understands that they need to learn this art. They know that they need to study and read books. By standing there, you can not have long jump; you need to go back, then run and jump. Many have done this long jump through social media.”
Waqas: What are your favourite poets?
Abbas Tabish: “There are many. If some names are left, then they complain and get angry. Whom I like, they know that like their poetry. No need to mention the names.”
Waqas: Name the poet who u thinks most weird in poetry and he or she should be in some other field?
Abbas Tabish: “If they themselves not understand that they are not fit. Then no need to comment. Respect what we have. There is no need to mention which is not there.”
Waqas: Are you writing anything at the moment and how many poetry books you have?
Abbas Tabish: “Yes, I am writing and my new book is coming. I am in love with poetry and I pray that I do write poetry till my last breath because social media has increased the responsibility. People want to listen new poetry.”
Waqas: Does any one requested you to write some demanded poetry.
Abbas Tabish: “Yes, I have been contacted many times to had some particular poetry. Once I was invited in Bollywood Mushaira and some directors told me that I should write songs for their films and I will be paid a lot. I replied that writing a song is not my hobby, I am single track person and I write ghazals. I will write it through out in my life.”
Waqas: Any of your masterpiece in poetry which you want to write?
Abbas Tabish: “I want to write it but still not. I know which of my poetry is famous. I want to write masterpiece and the time will come when I will do this.”
Waqas: How you balance your family life and professional work along with poetry?
Abbas Tabish: “I understand the menu of life. Its not life that if u siting and u remain sitting. If I am at home, I remain person of my family. I don not go home with burden of being famous poet or directorship, I spend time with my family and talk about their likings. My wife and daughter take interest in poetry. Many of our poets stay poet at home. When I am here in my office, I have agenda and schedule. Other than that, I have schedule of mushairas. Normally, I go to attend mushaira on weekend.”
Waqas: Any regret in your life?
Abbas Tabish: “No. I have not done anything whom I regret. But I think that what ever I have written or read, I could do more than that. Some times it feels bit regret. I want to do that and I will do it.”
Waqas: Any of future goals or aspirations that you want to do?
Abbas Tabish: “I want to do some thing for this department. I had made my website with the name of Ishqabad, now I wish it should me made NGO and we can get some donations. I want to launch website like Rekhta, initially we got the work done at secretary level but there is still no development but I am hopeful that it will be done at some time. My poetry and website is should be my legacy.”
Waqas: What’s your message?
Abbas Tabish: “If you do love, then write poetry on it and if you do not love then do not lie. Words do pray and do Vice versa as well. If you do Ishq then write on it.”
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