“Raving, Roving Critics”
Colors start to speak when touched by your hand,
As if they were waiting for your hand with its
miraculous powers.
A lot of similarity in the pictures: Form in
landscape
And the Gothic balance of lines,
And these still life with such heat and colors
Are creating a Flemish atmosphere.
Madam! Do listen to them!
Just look in this painting:
Those faraway grey mountains!
These are in harmony with Jan van Eyck’s
Fundamentals of distance in oil painting!
And these portraitures!
Raphael and Titian could not have thought
Of giving such touches!
And these over here remind us
Of Michelangelo and Di Vinci’s strokes!
Wow! Look towards the East Side!
This ‘Lady in Waiting’ by Bill Brauker,
If Rembrandt were able to see this,
He would never dare to attempt the young girl
With the demure eyes,
Just check this balance of light!
Over here you portrayed a half-starved village:
It reminded me of the brilliance of Duccio’s mind
That created a third class carrier in
‘The Calling of the Apostles Peter and Andrew.’
And this view at dawn of a half-asleep metropolis,
Is as if Van Gogh’s brush was palpitating.
At the end of the gallery, over that oval turn,
Cubism’s gems are on exhibit: The creativity
Of Picasso’s hand became your experience.
[Madam’s Thoughts On Critics]:
These heartwarming and chock-full reviews,
I am thankful to you from the bottom of my heart.
But before you began,
For this novice poet in this clash encounter
Of applause and praise,
You appeared erratic.
Respected critics, first erase the drivel
Rhapsodizing from all angles of your braggadocio!
Parveen Shakir (24 November 1952 - 26 December 1994)
Translated from the Urdu by M.S. Alverston, 02/25/11.
