Disturbed Nights by Zulfikar Ghose is a typical postmodern poem. Let’s discuss the Critical Analysis of Disturbed Nights by Zulfikar Ghose. The poem deals with the contemporary lifestyle. It is about unavoidable circumstances that may cause unwanted harm and disturbance at any moment in life.
Ghose talks about that how his nights are disturbed twice by the siren of an ambulance that was summoned by his next-door neighbor. He also presents the thoughts that came to his mind after listening to the sound of an ambulance.
Then he tells that what justifies his thoughts was his contemplation of a man driving home must have collided his car into a truck. Ghose also talks about the tension and stress that waiting may cause to human nerves.
The poem also sheds light on the isolated and carefree life of this age. This poem may seem a simple description of a common incident but Ghose presents a lot through his lines.
Critical Analysis of Disturbed Nights by Zulfikar Ghose
Form and structure of the poem:
The poem is written in Free Verse means that the poem does not follow a rhythmical structure. It does not follow any rhyme scheme and is without a meter. Along with this, it is a suggestive and narrative poem, that draws on different analogies to present the poet’s ideas in a quizzical manner. This poem is also called a Fragmented poem.
Disturbed Nights by Zulfikar Ghose is evidence of the poet’s extraordinary command of the description of a common incident. The poem reflects the poet’s imaginative capacity. Ghose’s use of contemporary idiom in his depiction of an event shows his genius in employing modern diction in his poetry. Also, the way he relates this disturbed night with a similar one is an example of his extraordinary command of comparing two things. The analogies that he creates for the events on two different occasions are every day but unique and exquisite.
Structure: Critical Analysis of Disturbed Nights
This poem consists of Seven six lines of stanzas. This structure of six lines in a stanza is known as Sestet. In Urdu poetry, we use the term Musaddas for it. The poet has employed free verse.
The syntax of the poem is simple. At the same time, there are some reflections on the past incidents or events. The diction of the poem is also simple with exquisite use of contemporary idiom. The imagery of the poem is lucid and realistic.
Tone: Critical Analysis of Disturbed Nights
The tone of the poem is Contemplating or reflective.
Major Themes in Disturb Nights
There are many themes in the poem but some of them are discussed below with some explanation.
Contemporary Lifestyle:
This poem presents a glimpse of the contemporary lifestyle. Ghose wakes up by the sound of the siren of an ambulance. What comes to his mind is the usual perception of road accidents.
He then guesses about the nature of the accident. He thinks that someone returning home from a bar on this humid night may have run his car into a truck. Drink and drive cases are not only common in Western societies but also in Pakistan nowadays.
He further imagines that some young boys in a jeep may have been drinking beer and dancing to loud rock music and may have lost control over their jeep at some sharp bend. Ghose refers to newspaper reports about such accidents.
These accidents are generally caused due to contemporary lifestyle of visiting bars, driving while drunk, and fondness for youthful adventures.
Social Connectivity:
The theme of social connectivity is also incorporated in the poem. The poem presents a deplorable condition of social connectivity in contemporary society.
People are so busy with their daily routines that they do not know what happens in their neighborhood. With the arrival of the ambulance, the poet comes to know that there is some emergency with his neighbor.
But instead of going to know about the true magnitude of the issue he keeps himself standing and staring at the ambulance and the activities of paramedics.
Along with social connectivity, there is an associated theme of isolation. In this urbanized world, people are so lost in their lives that they do not seem to worry about the problem of others. The thread of relations has become so weak and unreliable.
Wait and Anxiety:
Disturbed Nights end with Ghose waiting to see the true magnitude of the issue for which the ambulance arrives. The lights of the ambulance are irritating Ghose’s eyes but he is still waiting to know what actually has happened.
The anxiety that arouses out of inquisitiveness to know more about the incident keeps him standing there. In these lines, the poet comments on patterns of life. All human beings are always waiting for something to happen in their lives.
They want to be clear about the circumstances. But if much like the same in the poem waiting goes on for a long it may create tension and anxiety.
Conclusion:
Disturbed Nights by Zulfikar Ghose is a poem worth reading. While depicting an emergency in this poem he does not compromise the pleasing factor of the poetry. The diction and imagery of the poem attract the attention of the readers.
