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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, June 4, 2015 | 44 Oakville man writes poetry as legacy for grandkids Anwar Naqvi, political activist and former prisoner of conscience, has been writing poetry and stories in Urdu for more than 50 years by John Bkila Oakville Beaver Staff Artscene "Connected to your Community" A n Oakville man has taken to writing poetry as a way to leave a legacy for his grandchildren. Anwar Naqvi, a political activist, poet and former prisoner of conscience, has been writing poetry and stories for more than 50 years in Urdu, a South Asian language widely used in India and the official language of Pakistan. Born in India in 1936 and immigrating to Canada by way of Pakistan, Naqvi said he was jailed for 10 months in Pakistan when martial law was imposed by army dictator General Zia Ul Haq in 1983. The 78-year-old has numerous published works including six books, a short story collection, two collections of poems, and collections of essays and letters. "One day, I realized that none of my five grandchildren speaks or understands Urdu," said Naqvi. "That means that I will not leave any literacy legacy for them." That's when Naqvi said he would try his hand at writing in English. Writing with same ease in English Although it is his second language, he said he was happy to find the same ease writing in English as he has with Urdu. Naqvi said poetry is just another avenue for him to express himself in ways he might not otherwise be able to. "I write poetry because I am a versatile artist -- being a painter also," he explained. "There is something in me which forces me to express my opinions." The local resident is no stranger to doing so -- under the New Democratic Party (NDP) banner, Naqvi ran in the Oakville riding for the 2003 provincial election and in the federal elections in 2004 and 2006 for the Halton riding. Naqvi says his poetry has been so well-received, he's been asked to perform at various venues over the years. Milton Mushaira One such event took place Friday (May 29), where Naqvi took part in the fourth Milton Mushaira. A mushaira is a 700-year-old tradition of India and Pakistan where poets and the audience sit together in the same room listening to poetry. The Milton event, which took place in the basement of a Milton home, was one of the first of its kind, said Naqvi, because it included the reading of poetry in both English and Urdu. Naqvi says he is most proud of one of his latest works titled Who am I? What am I? The 100-stanza, approximately 2,000-line, English poem Oakville poet Anwar Naqvi, at left, reads some of his poetry during the fourth Milton Mushaira, above, where poets and the audience sit together in the same room listening to poetry. Naqvi says this was the first time poems were read in English and Urdu. | photos by Eric Riehl ­ Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_ photog or www.facebook.com/HaltonPhotog) is about a man who wants to define and discover himself, he said. "It is in rhyming format... (and) in every stanza, the scenes, subjects and forms change," noted Naqvi. "It is difficult for me to write about my own creations, but I enjoyed writing it immensely and feel like a different person (afterwards)." The local poet said he wrote the first stanza of the poem on Nov. 30, 2014 and the last was penned on April 23 of this year. The epic poem is currently being edited, so that Naqvi can send it to publishers in Canada and the U.S., in hopes of sharing it with a wider audience. The Best of British Theatre right here in Oakville swan lake June 7 & 10 the duChess oF malFi June 21 & 24 the rise & Fall oF the City oF mahagonny July 5 & 8 titus androniCus July 19 & 22 tiCket PaCkages available 171 Speers Road (at Kerr) Oakville 905-338-6397 film.ca/signature facebook.com/filmca @FilmCaCinemas