Nostalgia and the Lost World of Childhood

One of the most touching aspects of the collection is its recurring nostalgia.

Poems like:

• Childhood Memories
• Rare Moments
• Parents Love

reflect a deep emotional attachment to the past.

The poet repeatedly returns to childhood as a symbol of purity, innocence, and genuine happiness. His memories are not merely personal recollections; they become universal experiences with which readers can easily identify.

Particularly moving is the poem Parents Love, where the absence of parents creates a sense of emotional emptiness that resonates strongly with readers who have experienced similar loss.

“Child-hood memories”

Our thoughts have many wings,

Always catch the charming things.

From imaginations nothing away,

In the past, we can stay.

Everything was ok, nothing wrong,

Dreams of childhood were too long.

Early morning with a sweat song,

And the glass of milk made me strong.

With my fellows always run,

All the day, had a fun.

A happy message to me,

always sending, Memories of my childhood never ending.

“Rare moments”

I wanted to buy the ages of his youth,

At any deal, at any cost;

But the boy replied, “Oh sir please,

Give me back my childhood at last”.

This is the thing, none can buy,

And no one can sell;

Rare moments are always rare,

Everyone knows very well.

A master is unable to deal in,

Deal in the years of his servant;

No one can exchange one’s ages,

It’s not a house on a rent.

Lehr Niazi

“Parents love”

My all childhood disappear,

Not even a day spare.

Sweet sweet lulling of my mother,

No one is here now even my father.

Cruelty of the world goes its ways,

No sympathy here all the nights n days.

So now, passed many years,

My eyes are full of tears.

I can bear no more pain,

The paths, I travelled, not again.

Lehr Niazi

Social Consciousness and Sympathy for the Poor

Lehr Niazi’s concern for social justice is evident throughout the collection.

Poems such as:

• The Poor in the Street
• Poor Man’s Dreams
• Global-Man

highlight the struggles of marginalized people.

Rather than romanticizing poverty, the poet emphasizes human dignity and respect. He reminds readers that society often overlooks those whose labor sustains everyday life.

His poetic voice here becomes ethical rather than political. He calls for compassion, understanding, and recognition of the humanity shared by all people.

“The poor in the street”

No welcome, no treat.

It’s hobby of the people,

Throwing stones at the dogs;

They think the poor of the town,

In the pool, jumping like the frogs.

We must the poor proper deal,

 In the whole machine they are wheel.

Never hurt the ego of the man,

 Consult every one when you plan.

To the people never do any wrong,

You will be remembered for a long.

Passions are involved in the lines,

Never try to silence any song.

“Poor man’s dreams”

A poor man has a poor dream,

No chicken not a cone of ice-cream.

Every morning in his shak,

No guest but crow black.

A cup of tea, without milk,

Clothes with tags, without silk.

Dirty cottages, no houses, no stay,

Poor labor dreams, bread of second day

Cuts on the hands with pain,

Great labor but a little gain.

Bare-footed labor in the fields,

Good job, but no honor, no shields.

Lehr Niazi

“Global-man”

Racing cat behind the rat,

We’re chasing our goals;

Living in the water,

Much thirsty, our souls.

Global-man cheats himself,

And forgets enjoying the rest;

Give full time that you love,

Never lose what is the best.

Our moods always change,

White clouds and the shower;

Learn the lesson from the life,

Keep smiling, like a lonely flower.

Lehr Niazi

Nature as a Teacher

Nature occupies a significant place in the collection.

The moon, clouds, flowers, birds, rain, changing seasons, and deserts are not merely decorative images. They function as teachers that offer moral lessons.

In poems like:

• Moon-light
• Time Changes
• All Enjoy
• Be Hopeful

nature becomes a source of wisdom.

The poet observes natural cycles and derives lessons about patience, resilience, renewal, and hope.

This approach reflects classical poetic traditions where nature serves as a mirror of human experience.

“Moon-light”

Moon in the sky, in the dark-chilly-night,

Looks how beautiful! Bright moon-light.

Camels, caravans travelling round the globe,

In a desert, moon-light, such a rare sight.

Patches of clouds are chasing each other,

In the shivering moon-light, there is fight.

Moon is shining above all in the sky,

Glow-worms are seen at some height.

Near the bushes glow-worms at night,

A child tries to catch that little-bright.

No money needs to look at the natural beauty,

To enjoy the moon-light, is every one’s right.

Lehr Niazi

Time Changes”

Thoughts of a child, innocent flight,

Wrong to right, every sight.

Seed to plant,plant to stem-wood,

 Innocence to maturity, maturity to man-hood.

Train of life changes the stations,

New place creates the new relations.

Fresh leaves, turn to pale,

 New letters, into rotten mail.

 Waters to sky all the time fly,

Heavy clouds shower from the sky.

Green to pale, pale to green,

When the time changes, changes every scene.

“All enjoy”

Human passions touch the heart- beat,

All events are, as we treat.

Changing weather here and there,

Moods are not same everywhere.

On the land or across the sky,

Humans, animals or birds fly.

Moon, stars and lovely flower,

All the creatures every hour;

The rich and the poor all enjoy,

In the sun-shine or in the shower.

Be happy and stop the tears,

Pray for the best and have no fears.

Like the seasons, fly away,

Clouds of hardships never stay.

Lehr Niazi

“Be hopeful”

Always sing a charming song,

Try to stop any wrong.

Special moments are rare,

In life, we must care.

Message of hope always bring, Never forget the lessons of the spring.

Hopes are always better,

Be hopeful in every matter.

Think about the happy days, Sadness never comes always.

Language and Style

The greatest strength of Lehr Niazi’s poetry lies in its simplicity.

His language is:

• Direct
• Accessible
• Emotional
• Conversational
• Easy to understand

Readers do not require specialized literary knowledge to appreciate these poems. The collection speaks particularly well to young readers, students, and general audiences.

Many poems employ:

• Rhyming couplets
• Repetition
• Moral reflections
• Narrative elements
• Song-like rhythms

This simplicity creates immediacy and sincerity.

Literary Strengths

1. Emotional Honesty

The poems emerge from genuine feelings rather than intellectual exercises.

2. Strong Humanitarian Vision

Human dignity remains central throughout the collection.

3. Accessibility

Readers from diverse educational backgrounds can easily connect with the poems.

4. Cultural Authenticity

Although written in English, the poems retain the emotional landscape of rural Punjab and Mianwali.

5. Positive Outlook

Hope, resilience, and moral values dominate the collection.

“I am a lover”

Sleepless eyes, no where rest,

Never found in the East or the West.

Love is burning my whole chest,

I am a lover, love me the best.

Spring can be on our command,

Two birds are singing in the nest.

Love is burning my whole chest,

I am a lover, love me the best.

All my passions, ringing bell,

Love story, no more tell.

Let’s move to the dream-land,

Don’t waste my love-spell.

Love is burning my whole chest,

I am a lover, love me the best.

Passions are burning like the fire,

No one can them, even hire.

Lehr Niazi

“Desires”

When heart burns, desires wake,

Sweet dreams floating in the lake.

Perfume of the desires, smells everywhere,

When heart blooms, lilies are there.

No smiles for the heart-broken,

But faded-flowers as a token.

Calculations of the heart-beats, create a song,

It doesn’t matter, how much long.

When the evening closes its beams,

Closed-eyes gather their dreams.

Lehr Niazi

Areas for Literary Growth

A balanced literary assessment also recognizes areas where the poet could further develop his craft.

Some poems rely heavily on direct moral statements rather than metaphorical complexity. At times, rhyme appears more important than imagery, and certain poems could benefit from greater linguistic refinement and deeper symbolic exploration.

However, these observations should be viewed in context. The poet’s objective is not experimental modernism or academic complexity. His goal is communication, emotional connection, and moral reflection. Judged by that standard, the collection succeeds admirably.

Significance for Mianwali Literature

Dreams in the Desert is important because it represents one of the few English poetry collections produced by a literary voice rooted in the cultural environment of Mianwali.

The book demonstrates that local experiences, rural memories, and regional values can find expression in English without losing their authenticity.

In this sense, Lehr Niazi serves as a bridge between local culture and global language.

Dreams in the Desert is a heartfelt collection that celebrates humanity, memory, hope, nature, and social compassion. Its strength lies not in literary complexity but in emotional sincerity. The poems invite readers to slow down, appreciate life’s simple blessings, remember forgotten values, and reconnect with their inner humanity.

Lehr Niazi’s poetic voice is gentle, reflective, and optimistic. In an age increasingly dominated by material concerns and social fragmentation, Dreams in the Desert reminds us that kindness, memory, love, and hope remain among humanity’s most enduring treasures.

Rating: 4/5

“Dreams in the Desert is less a book of poetic experimentation and more a book of human experience. Its pages preserve the voice of a poet who believes that even in the harshest desert, dreams still bloom.”

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