KABUL (SW): “I noticed; no one lift my corpse, so I myself took it on my shoulder and wept”, goes one of the poems of Afif Bakhtari.
The life and work of late poet Afif Bakhtari who passed away in Balkh province last Friday at the age of 55, is celebrated on Saturday by the ‘Poetry Club’ at the Kabul University. The sudden death of Bakhtari put many Persian literature enthusiasts heart broken. He is dubbed as one of the greatest poets of contemporary age and a re-known journalist and writer. Afif Bakhtari’s poems are widely praised among the Persian literature critics of the country as “bridging point of two contemporary periods of poetry”.
Yaman Hikmat Taqi Aabadi, writer and university lecturer, said the contemporary Persian poetry of Afghanistan is divided into two parts, one before Afif Bakhtari and the other after Bakhtari. “He was well versed in music, contemporary poetry and writings. His poems were innovative”, added Aabadi.
Assadullah Afif Bakhtari, was born in 1962 in Balkh province. He graduated from high school in Balkh and pursued his higher education in Kabul University. After completing his education Bakhtari served throughout his career in different positions. He was member of Balkh’s writers union, later he became head of cultural representative of northern zone. He also worked as editor for “Jahan-e-Naw” and “Alaf ta Ya” monthly journals. He was also appointed as cultural and social director of Red Cross in Balkh.
Afif Bakhtar had authored several poetry collections. His sudden dead is considered a loss for the literature community of the country.
ENDS
