'Tears Fall in my Heart': Adnan's joy, sorrow, anguish amidst 'disruptions' in Kashmir

By Annette Nasser*
Adnan Shafi's poetry left me in deepest thought throughout his book, and I am quite sure, whoever will read at present time or in the future, will certainly feel the same way.
With pensive rumination, contemplative is each poem, descriptive and expressed fluently, his articulate and creative usage of words, the flowing of his verses, the intensities of emotion with both rhythm and inflection, the senses of everything he feels, whether it be of joy, sorrow, anguish or even his ardency of nature, life and love, the experiences of his own and that of others living in the valley, the close observations through the disruptions of Kashmir, he has written with excellence of sublimity, throughout his book.
You will read, I'm quite certain, such fervour he places through his senses and emotion, the difficulties of Kashmiris, the state of disturbances, the agitation of people, the chaos, the current circumstances and his own yearnings of future dreams.
Every poem written in Adnan's book, I returned again and again, because once is just not enough, every poem touched my heart, profoundly, in one way or another, the senses he felt, you will also feel, with elation or with tears.
To mention some of his poems, "Winter", is described with both colour and imagery, "a mild storm the painted colored leaves upon the ground", "the grunge of the day washed away by gentle rain", "the eerie whistle of snowflakes dropping to the ground pierced my heart", from expressions of "Winter Utopia", to "softest zephyr", felt was his affinity for this spectacular season, in spite of the plight of Kashmir, the author takes in the beauty of the Valley, even in Winter, the sounds he hears of snowfall, the beauty he sees, the wonderment he feels, is also felt by the wording of his illustrious words.
The plights felt, the innocence wounded by actions of others, the scars left upon his heart and soul, regardless of consequences, he takes time to actively describe with his pen, from "wrinkled pages" to seasons, his verbalization, and to quote the Author's line: "wasted like unwritten poetry strangled abortive a compressed paper bemoan", who can write like this? Only the author, his imbued words flowing from "unstoppable ink." The intrepidity felt, "his burning soul", the agony, angst, he knows no other life but his own and what he has observed, what is written so admirably, the misfortunes and yet, I find much strength in his wording and lines.
His affinity for nature is felt throughout many of his poetry. He also writes not only from painful, grieving words of death, sorrows, dangers and destruction, a myriad of flooding prose, voicing sentiments of his faithfulness to Allah, and of poetry, itself, the powerful flow of his pen, wishing for a better future than the one he is living now, at present time, read in his poem, "An Imaginary Valley", he wishes for the ambiance of beloved remembrances, a valley where joy is felt instead of sorrow, where hope and peace can be felt instead of destruction, chaos and deceit of outsiders.

The author takes in the beauty of the Valley, even in Winter, the sounds he hears of snowfall, the beauty he sees, the wonderment he feels

Adnan's poem, "Caged In Thoughts", tells the reader to step into his shoes, those who know nothing about the sensitivities he has endured, yet what he has penned can only be felt with his words, then and only then, can one begin to understand what he has described.
He also writes of love, even from a distance, in his poem, "She Is Gorgeous", description in colourful word imagery, held captive of his senses felt in mellifluous sound or his perception of exquisite sight he beholds, he mentions in his poem, "I have felt but couldn't explain her into words", and yet, he does just that, inscribing his perception, an alluring affection, comparative of love at a distance, through his "piece of art", namely his poetry and further describes, "Poet In Love", a superbly stunning description of how and what a poet feels within the eye of the beholder.
Adnan also writes of his endearing and devoted faith in The Almighty. He writes with conviction and we see it in his sorrows, his joy, his grieving, his strength and even his love through his pensive beliefs, his culture, his perceptions, reflections and introspection, yet, with all of this, especially through his moving voice. He only wishes for the goodness in everything and everyone, the world over.
He has felt anxieties, divulging pain, the flames of control, the paralyzing effects of what has been endured in the valley, wanting to once again breathe, from the mourning, fear and loneliness that circulates into the pores of his skin. 

He writes of innocence, pelleted from the oppression laid upon his land, the grievances felt of the weeping mothers and he cries with them, through his dialogue, within his stanzas and verse, his prosodies of unendurable and intolerable cruelty placed upon the Valley's citizens, he so wishes to escape, to shape his future, to spread his wings, and yet, when I read his poetry, no doubt, this author will in fact, spread his wings further, with the determination, ambition, grit and strength, all attributes he possesses, with his voice and he will indeed, use his abilities, advancing steps further.
In closure, other poetry to mention, "I Am Still The Same Me", "Alone In The Woods", "Man Is Created To Love", "Spilled Ink", "Tragedies" and "Desires", I might as well mention all of his poetry, entirely, throughout Adnan's book, "Tears Fall in my Heart", is defined in such a way, the fresh spirit of this author, with his significant voice, the perspicacity, and a deliverance with brevity, a resonance that will surely ignite readers. Best book ever, I will never tire from reading over and over again.
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*Writer, reviewer, former editor, and soon-to-be editor for new e-magazine, "International Art and Literature", where she proposes to feature writers and artists; lives in the outskirts of Boston, Massachusetts