Quote by Agha Shahid Ali: “The ghazal lives only if it is a form of address.”

This quote emphasizes that the ghazal, a specific poetic form, thrives on direct communication, on reaching out to an 'other.' It highlights poetry's essential function as a means of connection and dialogue.

Ali was instrumental in popularizing the ghazal in English poetry, carefully explaining its form and philosophy. This statement reflects his dedication to a form that fosters intimacy and direct emotional appeal.

Kashmiri-American poet, born in New Delhi in 1949 and raised in Kashmir, whose ghazals in English brought the classical Urdu form to American poetry. His collection The Country Without a Post Office lamented the violence in Kashmir with devastating lyricism, and he taught at many American universities before his death in 2001.