I Cannot Laugh

Ehsan Sehgal

Ehsan Sehgal is a Pakistani-Dutch poet and writer. He moved to the Netherlands in 1978 to avoid persecution during the General Zia era in Pakistan and has lived in the Netherlands since. Ehsan Sehgal began his literary career in 1967. His first publication was a novel, but his consequent books were all collections of poetry. He writes mostly in the poetic form called ghazal but has also written Ruba'i, Nazm, Qataa, and Naat. He also writes in the meter called Beher and is well versed in poetry meter of the Urdu language. Zarb-e-Sukhan is a collection of the collections, and he is famous as of that book. Besides the novel and books of poetry, he published a collection of quotes and articles in 1999. In 2010, having lived in the Netherlands for over three decades, he also published a collection of aphorisms in Dutch and having the desire to share his ideas with a Dutch audience. The book, in Dutch De Wijze Weg ("The Wise Way"), was translated by Naeem Arif. The Wise Way is also published in both the English and Urdu languages. Daily Dawn mentioned him, one of those a few Pakistani English poets, whom poetry, has been traveled, and acknowledged abroad and homeland as well. His latest collection of English prose poems is Breathing Words. Various Pakistan singers have sung his ghazals and naats. He has been praised by many Urdu writers and poets, especially by Ibn-e-Insha who has appreciated Sehgal's literary work in his weekly written columns in Akhbar-e-Jahan Karachi. An author writes, "As far as the poetic justice in Sehgal's writing is considered, it is debatable. In spite of some shortcomings, he keeps on writing which is good. His work over a period of time has been acknowledged." A journalist of English newspaper The News International wrote in an interview that "Going through Sehgal's poetry one is instantly aware of a strong message, an intellectual depth, and a sharp poetic sensibility." A famous poet of India Nida Fazli and Pakistani journalist and writer Sultana Mehr compared his poetry with the style of Ghalib and Allama Iqbal. Sehgal has received awards of Molana Maher-ul-Qadri Award in 2001 from Urdu Trust London, U.K, Allama Shariq Jamal Award in 2005 from Bazm-e-Shaoor-e-Adab in Jaipur, India, and Faiz Ahmad Faiz Award in 2011 from Urdu Tahreek Aalmi London, U.K, in recognition of his best poetry works. He has also received Pride of Performance by Maraqaba Hal Holland, The Hague, Netherlands in December 2013. He also writes prose poetry in English. More here -https://www.conservapedia.com/Ehsan_Sehgal more…

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