India, Sept. 3 -- The feisty release of the latest collection of poems by Shammi Jalandhari, a Punjabi poet based in Australia, was greeted as a joyous and lyrical celebration of love and longing. Speaking on the occasion in Chandigarh, Pali Bhupinder Singh, a scholar of Punjabi, poet, playwright, and filmmaker, said, "It is not since the memorable era of Shiv Kumar Batalvi has one seen a celebration of man-woman love in lyrics as one sees in the poetry of Jalandhari. For decades, Punjabi poetry turned to intellectual issues and moved away from the heart, but this poet brings it back to where it belongs." The fourth poetry anthology of Jalandhari is titled Oh Pehali Mohabbat (That First Love). Complementing the title is a nostalgic cover design of a lamp gently lighting the evening and a bright red rose, with just a few fallen petals, resting on the familiar wooden bench where vows were once made. Nostalgia hits even the hardened hearts and Jalandhari words are music to ears: 'Je yadan di dil vich uthi lehar hai, oh! pehali mohabbat da ajj vi asar hai (If a wave of memory rises in the heart/the feelings of that first love do play a part)'. Soothing words indeed in the times of hasty make-ups and break-ups! Jalandhari is named after the city he was born in, but he grew up all over India as his father was in the army. He has been in Adelaide in Australia with family since 2006, yet his heart still beats for his heartland and the sweetness of the Punjabi language. His other books of poetry include Watno Door, Pehali Barish, and Ishq Mera Sultan. His lyrics have made it to both Punjabi and Hindi films. One ends with the words of a great Punjabi lyricist, who hailed from Ludhiana, not far away from Jalandhar: 'Yeh Ishq Ishq hai'. Sahir Ludhianvi, of course!...