Shahid and the Form of Ghazal: Observations on the Ghazals of Agha Shahid Ali

Since its inception, ghazals has been practiced widely by poets across the globe; the form of ghazal entered America in 1968 with the translations of Ghalib, it has been practiced by the poets of America ever since. Agha Shahid Ali, a Kashmiri-American poet is regarded as a proponent of the form in America because with his practice of ghazal, he tried to refine and redefine the form in America. This article observes his practice of ghazal writing in English from Shahid’s only collection of ghazal called Call Me Ishmael Tonight. Shahid’s dissent about the inappropriate practice of the form in America during his time resulted in his practice true to the form that showcased ghazal adhering to the demands and nature of the form. His attempts to correct the practice of the form in America led him to write ghazals which can serve as examples to others. In his service to the form he not only wrote ghazals but also collected and published ghazals by 109 poets of America published as Ravishing DisUnities: Real Ghazals in English (2000) Published posthumously in 2003, Call Me Ishmael Tonight comprises thirty-one ghazals by Shahid. This collection exemplifies the practice of the form which is true to the norms and as propagated by Shahid. Shahid also included multiple versions of a ghazal (‘Arabic’ and ‘in Arabic’) showcasing his way of perfecting the practice. This collection stands alone as an authentic example of the practice of the form with some experimental moves like adding an epigraph over a ghazal and adding a title to each ghazal. Being the proponent of the form in America, Shahid argued that a ghazal must have metrical unity in every line with a proper adjustment of qafia and radif without that, those are mere couplets and not ghazal. In a conversation with Denver Butson, Shahid answered why Butson’s couplets are not ghazals by Saying ‘’ Simply writing in couplets, no matter how unrelated, is not writing ghazals.’’ (Harrison 78)