Suryakant Tripathi ‘Nirala’ was probably the greatest hindi poet of 20th century. He was definitely the most versatile. A pillar of Chhayawaad, he pioneered mukta-chhanda (blank verse) in hindi poems and he was the leading light of nayi kavita. His poems, even when in blank verse, are lyrical: something entirely missing in modern hindi poetry. I think this is a big reason why no one reads poems anymore. Those who do, keep going back to the old classics. Here is one such short and sweet peom by Nirala.
बांधो न नाव इस ठाँव बन्धु!
बांधो न नाव इस ठाँव बन्धु!
पूछेगा सारा गाँव बन्धु !
यह घाट वही जिसपर हँसकर,
वह कभी नहाती थी धँसकर,
आँखें रह जाती थीं फँसकर,
कँपते थे दोनों पाँव बन्धु!
बांधो न नाव इस ठाँव बन्धु!
पूछेगा सारा गाँव बन्धु !
वह हँसी बहुत कुछ कहती थी,
फ़िर भी अपने में रहती थी
सबकी सुनती थी सहती थी
देती थी सबके दाँव बन्धु!
बांधो न नाव इस ठाँव बन्धु!
