Selected Poems

His poetry reflects everyday emotions and experiences. For instance, in his poem Amaltas, he grieves for a tree that has been uprooted by a vicious storm and composes a beautiful elegy for the same. In this way, he gives a sense of poignancy to an everyday incident that one may often overlook. In another poem, The Heart Seeks, he delves into the theme of nostalgia and reminisces about the days gone by. In his poem A Day to Spend, he yearns for some more time to spend with a beloved. In Monsoon, Gulzar compares the rainwater running through the lanes and streets to kids who return home after winning a match. In Clothes, he talks about relationships and the loss of love and uses the act of rinsing and drying garments as a metaphor for a relationship. He paints the picture of the loss of sheen on regularly washed clothes, and compares them with a relationship that is devoid of passion and love. The book contains the original Urdu verses with clear translations in English. This edition of Selected Poems by Gulzar, translated by Pavan Verma, was published by Penguin in 2012, and it met with good reviews.