Discourses on Rhythm in Urdu Prose Poetry

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Abstract

The Urdu prose poem represents a critical juncture in the evolution of Urdu literary aesthetics, situated between the classical traditions of metrical poetry and the innovations of Western literary forms. Classical Urdu poetry, deeply influenced by Arabic and Persian prosody, has always regarded āhang (rhythm) as central to poetic expression, closely tied to meter, rhyme, and musicality. The introduction of the prose poem challenged these conventions, raising questions about whether poetry can exist without traditional metrics and how rhythm could be realized in a form that is primarily prosaic.Critics such as Dr. Unwan Chishti, Dr. Ibn-e-Fareed, Karamat Ali Karamat, Wazir Agha, Gopi Chand Narang, and Anis Nagi have explored this problem by distinguishing between ʿarūḍī āhang (metrical rhythm) and dākhilī or organic rhythm. While metrical rhythm depends on syllabic patterns, the internal rhythm of the prose poem emerges from semantic flow, emotional intensity, and syntactic modulation. This shift underscores the Urdu prose poem’s experimental nature: it negotiates the inherited poetic norms while striving for an independent rhythm derived from linguistic and thematic dynamics rather than prosody.The debates highlight a persistent tension: traditionalists see rhythm as inseparable from poetry, whereas modernists argue that the prose poem generates its own musicality through expression and thought. Consequently, Urdu prose poetry remains a contested yet innovative form, where rhythm is redefined and poetry is expanded beyond classical structures. Its significance lies not only in challenging the conventional notion of āhang but also in establishing a distinctive aesthetic space that bridges the continuity of Urdu literary tradition with modern experimentation.