HIMAYAT ALI SHAIR

Dr. Himayat Ali Shair is one of the most senior poets in Pakistan. He enjoyed quite a bit of fame and popularity writing songs for Urdu films in the sixties. Later he pursued a more academic career but continued to enthrall the fans of Urdu poetry with his gazals and nazms. His melodious rendering uplifted the mood of many a poetry meeting. Shair also made his mark in a somewhat uncommon and difficult form of poetry called "Salasi". It consists of an entire idea expressed in three lines as opposed to Rubai which has four.

The following selection is from a long nazm that was sung by the late Saleem Raza as well as Nahid Niazi in a sixties movie.

And now a short and sweet gazal.