The Best of Perveen Shakir
Perveen Shakir Ghazalyaat
As compared to her ghazalyaat Shakir's
free verse is much bolder, and explores social issues and taboos,
including gender inequality, discrimination, patriotism, deceit,
prostitution, the human psyche, and current affairs. It is also much
more modern and up-to-date.
Shakir is known for having employed the usage
of pop culture references and English words and phrases, that have mixed
up with Urdu, in her free verse - a practice that is both generally
considered inappropriate, and criticized, in Urdu poetry. An example is
the poemDepartmental Store MeiN [In a Departmental Store], which
is named thus despite the fact that there the term 'departmental store'
could easily have been substituted with its Urdu equivalent, and where
words like 'natural pink,' 'hand lotion,' 'shade,' 'scent' and 'pack'
are brought into use, and references made to cosmetics brands like,
Pearl, Revlon, Elizabeth Arden, and Tulip. Other examples are her poems Ecstasy,Nun and Picnic.
Shakir's free verse also contains a few,
credited translated or inspired works i.e. poems that are translations
of, or inspired by, other authors. Examples are Wasteland, a poem inspired by Elliot's poem of the same name, and Benasab Wirsay Ka Bojh [The Burden of Illegitimate Inheritance], a translation of W.B. Yeats's Leda and the Swan.