Dr. I . H. Rizvi is a poet of high social consciousness and to show the social reality, he uses his strong weapon of irony and satire. It will not be wrong to say that out of all dimensional qualities of Rizvi as an Indian English poet, he is a top graded poet of society. Irony is a device by which the writer expresses a meaning contradictory to the stated or ostensible one. Irony is of two types- verbal irony and situational irony and Rizvi is mainly the poet of both. He uses both direct and indirect irony. Satire is species of wit that ridicules the vices and follies of the age. It is both personal and impersonal. The poet uses both types of satire in his poetry. His strokes of irony and satire mock at all vices of society. There is no ground of life left which he has not depicted in his poems. There is hardly any aspect of it which he has left untouched. His deft strokes of irony and satire fall heavily on social and poltical hypocrisy of man, decomposition of human values, sexual exploitation of women, terrorism, materialistic approach to life, greed of the hoarders, profiteers and black-marketers, barbarity and rampant corruption, poverty and hunger of the masses, communal disharmony, riots, pillage, carnage, arson, forced prostitution, gang-rapes, dirt, despair and squalor prevalent in big cities like Bombay, general callousness, listlessness and indifference of people and so on and so forth. The poet satirizes the self hypocrisy, corruption and selfish wretchedness:" No beauty can hold for a breath;/Each laugh is an inroad to guile/Each life is a symbol of death. (-'WE LIVE AND WEEP AND DIE ALONE' (P. 3) ' FALLING PETALS'). It is a biting truth that we die with our desires yet we sleep in lasting peace: And dust is now our whole and part;/And yet in lasting peace we sleep,/Are buried with us our desires deep. "(WE SLEEP IN PEACE (P. 5) ' FALLING PETALS). Ingratitude is found in every man's heart and it is ironical that it is worked on those who show fine attitude:"It grabs each chance to pay/First homage rude/To those who show fine attitude. "The poem reminds us of Shakespeare and Wordsworth. (' TNGRATITUDE ' (P. 18) ' FALLING PETALS '). Here is another poem from the pen of the poet dealing with prostitutes. The decorated houses of the prostitutes are the living graveyards:"The living graveyard in dazzling hues/Where so-called fairies sing and dance/ith wasted form, with sold out names,/Where rich and poor have equal chance/To dig their graves and sink their souls sympathy flowers. "( LIVING CORPSES' (P. 32) 'FALLING PETALS')It is a satire on the thinking of such people who never consider the feelings of living corpses. There is nothing left about life which the poet has not left. He has tread every walk of life. FIDELITY ' is a drama between Love and Life. Love went to Life and asked "Give me fidelity". The irony is that life searched it everywhere and fidelity was found nowhere:"Ah, Life! though I' ve a large domain/And there's no heart I have not tread,/What dances not to my strain /A request first and last I make/Oh, just give me fidelity. "(' FIDELITY' (P. 22) ' FALLING PETALS') The poet is sorry to find honesty being replaced to wickedness in today's world:"Honesty passed through the crowd/On the noisy road of life/which gives refuge to wickedness. /Withdrawing herself as much as she could,/she tried to squeeze through untouched. "(' HONESTY (P. 2) 'UNFADING BLOOMS')The poet depicts the mental bankruptcy of modern man and mocks at the changing trends of life. Gentleness has got no name today and only a person of cruel nature attains his goal. Our culture is changing its fuel to cruelty and barbarity:"Smouldering fires/of barbarity fed/with feigned fuel of culture/Are changing sides on a burnt bed. (' BANKRUPTCY '(P. 4) ' UNFADING BLOOMS')Innocence has lost its way today. It is an irony of bitter kind that even innocent people cannot survive without sins today. Before they try to fight against the sin, they are torn to pieces: "Before the blooms could raise alarm/Their wings were torn, their bodies bled;/The birds did flap and screech,/But all was over soon. "( 'THE GARB OF SIN' (P. 8) 'UNFADING BLOOMS')These line are a satire on the moral degeneration of man. Penury-stricken people pass their life in slums near sky-scrapers and nobody has time to attend funerals or mourn for dead people:"In saintly looking monasteries,/Where prospers vice in charity's garb. "(' CITIES' (P. 19) 'UNFADING BLOOMS')There is a curtain to cover our badness and to show ourselves goodness. There is a difference between what we see and what we seem:"Is there a curtain in the back/Of what we see, and what we seem/To Take great pleasure in /Who can that curtain raise ('THE CURTAIN' (P. 21) 'UNFADING BLOOMS')The poet lashes the power intoxicated politicians, the refined and sophisticated butchers of modern life, who heartlessly-"Toy with palythings frail/As doth a spider with the flies/In artful cobwebs /aught. "After leeching their vicitims's blood, they throw them;"As juice sucked bones are thrown to /Waiting hungry dogs. "(' BUTCHERS' (P. 35) 'UNFADING BLOOMS') 'THE MARRIAGE MUST GO ON' is overwhelmingly ironical. At the time of a girl's marriage her father is hit by a stroke of heart-attack and is going to die, yet the marriage must go on becauseaccording to the 'Pandit,'MAHURAT' must not pass. The irony pierces the core of our heart:"The bridegroom waits/With careful indifference;/The bride is taken to the spot,/Her father to the hospital, /For he must not die at a place/Where daughter's marriage is performed. "('THE MARRIAGE MUST GO ON' (P. 55) 'UNFADING BLOOMS')'THE SHOW GOES ON' by Rizvi may be compared to the 'MONKEY SHOW' by Nissim Ezekiel. The extremely poor show man, the drummer in dirty clothes and with a wallet made of patches, performs the show to earn money for his bread. His wife repeats his with uncanny indifference with a baby lying unconscious with absorbing interest. However, the man fails to win the sympathy of the onlookers. People take back the decision of giving him something before the show is over: A taut expression of distress/Catches hold of his face;/And yet the drummer beats his drum/And the show goes on. "( 'THE SHOW GOES ON' (P. 59) 'UNFADING BLOOMS)The above poem can be compared to Nissim Ezekiel's 'MONKEY SHOW'. ' ACHIEVEMENT ' depicts with horror the atrocities committed by one soul to another in the name of religion. The poet's lucid satire and irony is evident at the achievement of civilization which has reaped the rich harvest of religious fundamentalism which shows the scantiest regard for woman. The deaf world does not listen to their painful cries:"A woman's body charred/Half-naked mutilated, crooked,/with mouth agap, with forks of teeth/Piercing the flesh of culture. The poet digs at our false show of respect for women and our hypocritical boasts of national pride in "our laurels. " A mark of respect for the womankind/The man who tortured to death/Perhaps thought it kinder/Is it a sight from Nellie or Punjab /Done in the name of religion('ACHIEVEMENT' (P. sympathy flowers 18) 'THIRSTY PEBBLES')The great irony of life is that food is offered to the dead in a religious custom, while the poor starve and die. The question arises who needs the food most - the dead or the living. The irony within irony is that food offered to the dead and put on 'samadhis' is taken away by the birds and beasts:/Food offered to the dead/Gives food for thought /How many get their food/Or how many go without it ! "('FOOD' (P. 46) 'THIRSTY PEBBLES')People visit the holy shrines to offer their desires to God and get them fulfilled and the irony is that they go to these holy places for the sacred purpose but they are wounded and killed in accidents. The poet feels sorry and says:"Where good or bad, all grasp goals/And purified they make their path. /Their soul in joy enlighten'd grows,/But Nature soon lets loose her wrath/Why man reaps death, while prayer sows " ( 'ON WAY BACK FROM PILGRIMAGE' (P. 47) 'THIRSTY PEBBLES')It is ironical that the modern world teems with colours and shades but a ghost of terror prevails in the society. The poet says: " The forest teems with trees and plants/of all description, hues and size,/Where all are past the even wise. "('THE FOREST' (P. 52) 'THIRSTY PEBBLES')Corruption has too goaded in life to breath in society today. Even for God it is difficult to maintain a record of a myriad acts-stinking, awful, black. But the poet believes that only God can sort out this problem not the angels. The poet says:" It 's high time God should stop/Getting human acts recorded/And give the angels rest/Which is theirs- long overdue. "( 'THE PLIGHT OF ANGELS' (P. 54) 'THIRSTY PEBBLES')The above lines are a satire on cruel nature of a modern man. It is ironical that the innocent people are killed and their dead bodies are removed from the place of crime. Even the neighbours are afraid of telling the truth but the killers are not touched at all:"The neighbours have been truely kind/Not to watch their brethren's death. /There are dead bodies;/The ground has been cleared of all spots. /Nobody has been on the rampage. . . . . . . . /Who says there has been a carnage"('NOTHING HAS HAPPENED' in 'WANDERING FRAGRANCE' (P. 11)It is most ironical that the people give alms to a woman than to a needy beggar. It is also ironical that women visit temples in gaudy uniform to attract man. A lean and crooked young man goes to the temple," To have ' darshan ' and make both ends meet/The lady to get it, the man to starve. "('LOSS AND GAIN' (P. 20) 'WANDERING FRAGRANCE')The poet says that a thousand visions have come in the world and time has come to get on to feet and strive hard to face a cut-throat competition to survive in modern world,"Somebody is knocking slow/But hispers in tough tone:/Come out, the time has come/He must leave at once. "(' THE TIME HAS COME' (P. 31) 'WANDERING FRAGRANCE')'THE GOD MAN' is a satire on the modern god man who seeks chaste god women and shows them modern spiritualism through sex. It is ironical that the fast growth of fake spiritual clubs are meant for laminated sex today: "Perhaps he may not get/the like of himself in his land/and may fly to the sates/a heaven of 'godmen'/and a paradise of godwomen. "('THE GODMEN' (P. 36) 'WANDERING FRAGRANCE')The poet says that there can be no life on earth without justice. But the irony is that life is going on with injustice all around in modern world. It is all the most ironical that God rights all wrongs and He mends all ills and yet injustice is done to the beaten, trodden and crushed:"All wrongs He rights, all ills mends/And yet what prospers most on earth. . . /The suffering ones are ridiculed/And mocked and shunned at every place. "(' INJUSTICE '(P. 49) 'WANDERING FRAGRACE') 'SELF JUDGE' is about a poet who suffered when he was juvenile and later started his own magazine. The irony is that the poet become the self judge and called himself a dazzling star on horizon of fame:"His poem were sent back to him/In his self addressed envelopes. /A poem or two accompanied/By money won a pale smile/By a dying literary 'mag'(THE SELF JUDGE' (P. 6) 'WOUNDED ROSES SING')It is ironical that a modern man, on one hand, goes on saying one thing but goes on with the other, preaches peace but may fight. 'Our garments are full of holes', of such kind. It is a direct satire on the mental level of modern man who has become selfish and greedy. The poet ironically says:" We say one thing when we here/And may just go the other way/When we are out of this conference. /'Peace' we may preach here but may fight/To end, or watch our brother slain/In Bairut, Kabul or Teheran. "('THE SUMMIT' (P. 12) 'WOUNDED ROSES SING')'THE OFFERING' is one of the most beautiful little poems bathed in irony. A virgin 'fresh from odoured bath in a thin white saree clad, in half-transparent holiness, is going:"To sprinkle holy water on/The naked idol of a god/Her feeling who probe(' THE OFFERING' (P. 18) 'WOUNDED ROSES SING') WAITING TO BE REBORN' is a tremendously ironical poem. The poem is a lament on the senseless killing of jewish children in the name of race and religion. Poverty, hunger and fear plague the Indian life. As the poet passes through the streets of Delhi, he is shaken by the horrible sight. Everyone has a right to live on this earth. The poet is moved by the death of those jewish children whose haunted souls cry out:"O help us to be born again! /We wish to play our part of life/We also have a right to live/and play and sing and laugh and dance. "'silenced forever' fifty years back speak in unison and plead their case:"We have waited for fifty years/For our doleful cries to be heard. "The poem reminds us of the description of Hell in The Divine Comedy. "('WAITING TO BE REBORN' from ' SNOWFLAKES OF DREAMS'(P. 7))The poet laments over the indifferent and emotionless society where dishonesty, crime, and impurity are given prior place. It is ironical that the world is going on a hectic pace but none bothers for melodious rhythm of life: Ah ! No one bothers for the notes;/There is so much of noise/of whistles, horns and bells. /The crowd is impatient/and people are lost in stray thoughts. . . . . /they are running a losing race. "('BOTHER FOR THE SONG' (P. 9) SNOWFLAKES OF DREAMS') EARNING BREAD IN A TRAIN' is a satire on the struggle of a seller with the elementary problems of existence, dragging through the routine of daily duties at the same time not breaking under the strain of anxiety, isolation and over work. The vendor is 'a picture of confidence ' and he callenges his fate and 'goes on his train of life' :"It's amazing how he does/all things with his right hand;/and thus challenging cruel fate/goes on his train of life. "(" EARNING BREAD IN A TRAIN' from 'SNOWFLAKES OF DREAMS' (P. 20))'KEEP ON DREAMING, O MAN ! ' is perfectly ironical. Man keeps on dreaming and dreaming but is not able to transform his dreams into reality:" Dreams are dreams and never do,/turn your thoughts into deeds,/Your dreams into realities,/transform the world into Eden. "('KEEP ON DREAMING, O MAN! ' from'GATHERING BROKEN GLASSES' (P. 14)) The poet mocks at the corrupt politicians who indulge in horse trading for power and pelf and do not pay heed to their jobs. By floor-crossing, the political stability is often disturbed:"Floor crossing, changing lanes/are fair and no more fouls/for horses who fix their own prices/and raise their price when lured by chance. "('HORSE- TRADING' (P. 14) CLOUDS IN CAGES') 'EMPTINESS' is drenched in satire and irony. Ironically the poet says that the world looks crowded, zestful, vigorous, mighty and full of achievements where innocence smiles and human faces seem to beam with smiles but there lies hollowness within. The poet says:"Still the endless circle of emptiness/tightens its hold on the world/Emptiness still rules over it. "('EMPTINESS' (P. 7) 'FETTERED BIRDS)Ironically the poet writes about the innocent prayer of a politician. The politician says that he will not take bribe and will not tell a lie. Neither he will make false promises nor curse his opponents. The irony is in the words of the politicians:" Forgive me, O Lord, one more day/If I fail to keep all these oaths. "('A POLITICIAN'S INNOCENT PRAYER' from FETTERED BIRDS'(P. 53))There is a reign of terror in today's society. Life is in the grip of terror and nobody is aware of the unseen reign of terror which " may explode into death any moment. "('REIGN OF TERROR' (P. 58) 'FETTERED BIRDS') There was a time when God used to watch all human actions through his long torches. But the irony is that God who himself is the creator of the world seems no more interested to see the ways of modern man:" Now heaven has to put out its torches. . . . . . /For it cannot afford to see/the ways of modern man. "('THE WAYS OF MODERN MAN' from'DRIPPING WOUNDS'(P. 9) )Life is full of dregs of despair. Human faces sweat the swealing of despair which falls unheard, unsung. The very description is a taunt on life and its hopelessness. These drops of despair touch the heart and pierce it:"Before they open their lips/they sink to the bottom of the heart. "('DREGS OF DESPAIR' (P. 14) 'FETTERED BIRDS') God has made plains, hills, mountains and the desert and has given life to them all but the desert has no flowers, leaves, or even blades of grass and no trees, no singing birds. The poet muses for the lot of desert saying:"It does not seem to breath at all. /Has it not been created by God . "('THE DESERT' (P. 20) 'DRIPPING WOUNDS')Palm bears the tallest leaves and sweetest fruits- the magical dates. The only visitors who touch it are the selfish date-gatherers who tear away only its fruits. Inspite of having beauty in it, it is destined to lead a life in the barren fields of the desert. ('PALM IN THE DESERT' (P. 21) 'DRIPPING WOUNDS')'PURGING' is bathed in irony and satire. It is a strong satire on the political ground of the country. The politicians induge in lies and make false promises to "all impurities of all evils". But ironically genocide, massacres, murders, arson/ plunder, loot, petrol and acid bombs/mass burnings of innocent people" are multiplying every day:"The genocide continues unbalked/and will continue for many more days,/thus the wise leader assures his comrades. "('PURGING' (P. 22) 'DRIPPING WOUNDS')Ironically the poet says that we are the nation of peace; innocent blood is not flowed here. There is no dispute on the basis of religion. ('A NATION OF PEACE SPEAK' (P. 31) 'DRIPPING WOUNDS') 'THE EVILDOER' (P. 32) 'DRIPPING WOUNDS' is ironical, "God leaves no evil-doer unpublished" while a different scene is being displayed in the modern world. As a social romanticist, the poet applies his craft to the near at hand reality in order to extract those human truths that are redeemable and chosen. He seems to mix values and facts, emphasising both the inner and outer social behaviour, sometimes providing clues to his own inner life. Man is the supreme creation of God. But even after being supreme, he cannot regain even the tiniest thing he loses and if regains it not in the same shape: When man loses his hair/or any other part of his body/he cant get it again in the same shape/Is man the supreme creation/Nature smiles at him in pleasure. (Transformation,TheValley Still Blossoms(P. 14))The poet makes use of biting satire on the ways of a woman: Man falls into the trap/unaware, unarmed,/unable to smell the rat/ensnared for the whole life. ( To Believe(P. 21) The Valley Still Blossoms) Mahatma Gandhi is a satire on the unholy politicians of the day:But alas! a day has arrived/when unholy politics holds/the reins of our motherland/and the great Mahatma and saint/has been totally forgotten. (Mahatma Gandhi(P. 4) Bleeding Flowers)The poet ironically satirizes on the brutal activities of man: I am an animal who suffers most/at the butherous hands of man/If you are searching for a beast/why dont you look for him among men (The Beast(P. 15) Bleeding Flowers) To sum in the words of Dr. Satish Kumar, " In poem after poem, Rizvi brings to exposure ironically and sarcastically the state of rampant chaos and topsyturvydum in urban civilization and with a humanist's anxiety bewails the extinction of love and understanding in human relationship. ".