Dreams in the Desert

A Voice of Humanity, Memory and Hope

“Dreams in the Desert” A Poetry Book By Lehr Niazi (Gulistan khan, Mochh, Mianwali) Punjab (Pakistan)

E.mail=Gulistankhanniazi@gmail.com and dreamsdesert0@gmail.com

0306-7817503 –0346-5791479

1st Revised Edition (March, 2017)

Quantity: 500

Price: Rs 300

The Preface

I don’t know, how I started writing poetry, but first of all I wrote my diary when I was in my 8th class. In the meanwhile, I started writing children’ stories. Later I started writing poetry in Urdu and in Sareaky as well as short stories in Urdu language. All that stuff is still un-published.

I have no any special start for my poetry in English. On Dec 27, 2013, I was in Urdu Bazaar Lahore when some piece of Poetry in English appeared in my mind but I could not save it. Later I created some piece of poetry and saved it. Now I am going to present it in a book named “Dreams in the Desert”.

All this piece of poetry appeared in my mind whenever I was impressed by any incident or anything. Sometimes I tried myself to create any piece of poetry but failed due to lack of proper emotions about the topic. To create the best piece of poetry, it is necessary to have some proper emotions, words and ideas. Otherwise At first, my poetry was bound to the simple forms of lyrical poetry, but by the passage of time. I tried the other forms as well.

The basic idea behind my poems is based on humanity. When someone is lost in the desert of the world, one wishes to be home. We are living in the global world where we have lost ourselves and ignored the human values.

I hope we shall all give the value to the human values by Lehr Niazi. Oct 29, 2016.

A Critical Review of Lehr Niazi’s English Poetry Collection

Among the contemporary literary voices emerging from the culturally rich soil of Mianwali, Lehr Niazi occupies a distinctive place. His poetry collection “Dreams in the Desert” is not merely a compilation of poems; it is a sincere expression of human emotions, social consciousness, childhood memories, moral values, and the universal longing for a more compassionate world.

Published in 2017, Dreams in the Desert represents an important literary achievement because it demonstrates how a poet whose primary literary background lies in Urdu and Saraiki can successfully communicate his ideas through English poetry while preserving the simplicity and emotional warmth of his native cultural environment.

The Poet Behind the Book

Lehr Niazi, whose real name is Gulistan Khan and who belongs to Mochh, Mianwali, began his literary journey at an early age. As he explains in the preface, his first creative efforts appeared in the form of diary writing, children’s stories, Urdu poetry, Saraiki poetry, and short fiction. His English poetry emerged later, inspired not by academic ambition but by spontaneous emotional experiences.

This origin is significant because the poems do not appear artificially constructed. They emerge naturally from observation, memory, and reflection. The poet writes because he feels deeply rather than because he wishes to display technical mastery.

Central Theme: Humanity in a Materialistic World

The strongest thread running through the entire collection is the idea of humanity.

In the preface, Lehr Niazi argues that modern society has become lost in the “desert” of materialism and globalization. Human beings have forgotten their essential values and emotional connections. The title Dreams in the Desert itself serves as a metaphor for hope, compassion, and spiritual survival amid the harsh realities of contemporary life.

Many poems repeatedly return to themes such as:

Respect for human dignity
Sympathy for the poor
Love for parents
Childhood innocence
Hope during hardship
Appreciation of nature
Social equality

This consistent moral vision gives the collection thematic unity.

“Life is Personal”

The moments, those lost, lost forever,

But in heart, we forget them never.

Dare to face life, blood not be low,

If the hurdles are more, better to be slow. Controversies of life, solve in time,

Before they may become a crime.

Never can catch again, the moment lost,

We are slow but life is very fast.

Don’t disturb anyone, enjoy your spring,

Life is personal, everyone is king.

“Wait”

Do what you can, but when,

The time is right, there’s no fight;

Price not matters in the taste,

Enjoy your meal, taste every bite.

Wait for the sun, to rise,

Wait for the turn, you have;

Try is must for the new,

Give the value what you have.

For the time of success, you must pray,

All the moments end, day after day.

Fruit of the labor, time always brings.

All the flowers have their springs.

Poetry of Everyday Life

Unlike many modern poets who rely heavily on abstraction and complex symbolism, Lehr Niazi draws his inspiration from ordinary experiences.

A pair of birds entering a room, old school books, moonlight, children in a schoolyard, poor laborers, memories of parents, and changing seasons all become subjects of poetic reflection.

In poems such as “Birds in My Room”, “My Old Books”, and “Smiling Faces”, the poet transforms everyday moments into reminders of life’s beauty.

His poetry suggests that happiness is not hidden in extraordinary events but in ordinary experiences that people often overlook.

“Birds in my room”

When I was writing a rhyme,

It was the morning time.

Two birds entered my room,

In search of some food;

They were familiar to me,

And changed my mood.

The worries of the life,

A new lesson always teach;

World is full of wonderful things,