Wayward Verses – Unruly Urdu Poetry

Wayward Verses celebrates the fearless spirit of poets who dare to challenge social norms and accepted ideas of morality. These independent voices use sharp, powerful poetry to question old beliefs and openly mock those who claim moral “purity.”

For them, nothing is beyond question—God, organised religion, rules around drinking, sexuality, or homoerotic desire. Their poetry stands against every form of restriction and oppression, rejecting rigid dos and don’ts. Wit and humour become their strongest tools to make these ideas hit home.

In this book, Sanjiv Saraf has carefully curated verses that offer a wide view of this bold poetic tradition, along with rhymed English translations to make the work accessible to English readers.