Ten best Urdu couplets of Parvin Shakir

Ghar ka darwaza khula rakha hai
Waqt mil jaye to zahmat karna

Kaise kah doon ki mujhe chhod diya hai usne
Baat to sach hai magar baat hai ruswayee ki

Woh mere paaon ko chhoone jhuka tha jis lamhe
Jo maangta use de detee ameer aisee thee

Ladkiyan baithee hain paaon daal ke
Roshni hone lagi talaab mein

Jugnoo ko din ke waqt parakhne ki zid karein
Bacchche hamare ahad ke chaalaak ho gaye

Rail ki seeti mein kaisi hijr ki tamheed thee
Usko rukhsat karke ghar laute to andaza hua

Woh kaheen bhi gaya lauta to mere paas aaya
Bas yahi baat hai achchhi mere harjaai ki

Ek chaand saleeb shaakh-e-gul par
Baali ki tarah latak raha hai

Chaand bhi meri karwaton ka gawah
Mere bistar ki har shikan ki tarah

The ten couplets I have posted here are my personal ten favourites. Parvin Shakir wrote innumerable such couplets. She was a fresh voice in Urdu poetry and due to her originality of ideas her verses and ghazals make a lasting impression.

Urdu poetry with its long hertiage had many poetesses but never before Parvin a female poet had given expression to her feelings in such a way that had the connoissuers of poetry in the sub-continent dazzled. Even the critics were made to sit up.

Despite her short life Parvin Shakir churned out enough poetry that would inspire generations of upcoming women poets. In India, a fresh interest in Urdu poetry was seen due to her publications in Devanagri script.

I have seen her Urdu diwans selling like hot cakes in an era when the publishers had lost hopes of any revival in the scene of Urdu publications in the country.