Parveen Shakir

1952 - 1994, Karachi, Pakistan

Parveen Shakir was a Pakistani poet, teacher and a civil servant. She is best known for her works that used the feminine perspective in Urdu poetry, which had traditionally been dominated by masculine expressions. She is considered one of the greatest modern Urdu poets of the late 20th century. Shakir started writing at an early age and published her first volume of poetry, Khushbu (Fragrance), to great acclaim in 1976. She subsequently published other volumes of poetry including Sad-barg (Marsh Marigold), Khud Kalami (Talking to Oneself), Inkaar (Denial), Kaf-e-Aina (The Edge of the Mirror), and Mah-e-Tamam (Full Moon). Shakir employed mainly two forms of poetry: ghazal and free verse. She was a prominent voice in contemporary Urdu literature, known for her use of pop culture references and distinctly feminine perspective. She died in a car accident in 1994 at the age of 42.