“Floods” by Daud Kamal
How does one forgive
the treachery of
blind rivers and
water buffaloes
dissolving in the mud?
their hut was
forty years old.
They had
three wooden
boxes of dowry
and a sacksful
of expensive rice.
At the relief-camp
the bride-to-be
covers her head
while her parents
look the other way.
Poet Introduction
Duad Kamal Pakistani poet. Kamal received his early education in Abbottabad Pakistan and then at Islamiyah College Peshawar after that he went to Cambridge University for further education. He was mostly associated with education and become a Vice-Chancellor of the University of Peshawar. Kamal left the world in 1987 for the United State.
Kamal is deeply influenced by the imagists like W.B. Yeats and Ezra Pounds. He gracefully used the imagists in his writing to convey his message concisely. As a poet, Kamal has a great connection to nature, his poems are full of reflections of nature imagery. He often specifies human features to the lifeless objects of nature in order to present his ideas in a way that is clear and pleasing.
Poem “Floods”
The Poem “Flood” is a poem depicting the miserable conditions of a Pakistani village. This poem describes the misery and destruction of villages which is often happened in Pakistan due to Floods. Also, point out the social evils of Pakistan's ‘’dowery” in such a catastrophic situation the bride is carrying or protecting her dowery.
In his poem "Floods” Kamal speaks of natural disasters and harsh weather. He picturizes that sometimes nature can be very cruel. The poem "Flood" describes the situation of poor rural people after the floods.
The poem "Flood" reflects the catastrophic situation of villages in Pakistan caused by a flood. Duad Kamal presents several images to express the feeling of deterioration and agony. The initial lines of the poem convey a feeling of misery and helplessness. Poet uses the image "Treachery" which is often associated with "unfaithfulness". Poet may use the image of Treachery to the bridegroom who died in a flood without meeting or he may refer to the unfaithful waves of the river who betray the bride.
The poet cautiously uses the image of Treachery, describing the flood as a "blind river" whose treacherous act has deliberately turned the bridegroom's fidelity into disloyalty. Maybe the groom died in the flood. “Water buffaloes dissolving in the mud?” this paints a picture of complete destruction. This line “hut was forty years old” with again images of destruction and the miserable situation of the villagers. Those who were living in their "huts" for forty years now due to the flood they deprived of their huts.
The image of the "three wooden boxes of dowry" once again points to the treacherous river and gives a clear picture of the bridegroom's infidelity. Also paints the evil of Pakistani society and how the dowery is important for a bride. How much miserable condition you have, you need to collect dowery. The bride still waiting with "three wooden boxes of dowery" in such a miserable and helpless condition.
In the final lines, the poet expresses the suffering and misery of the bride in the relief camp. How much she is suffering mentally waiting for her groom, on the other hand, the destruction caused by the Flood. “Sackful of expensive rice” this image strengthens the uttermost feeling of misery in the mind.
Daud Kamal presents beautifully through the images the miserable conditions of the village caused by the flood. Throughout the poem, the theme of misery is repeated. The use of words like “forgive”, boxes of dowry” intensifies the melancholic tone of the writer.