LUCKNOW, Dec. 22 -- Noted Urdu poet Wasim Barelvi struck an instant chord with the audience as he declared, "Main sher kabhi nahi kehta, sher mujhe kehta hai." (I never recite a couplet; it is the couplet that speaks through me). Addressing the gathering on the concluding day of the Repertwahr festival on Sunday, Barelvi set the tone with the line, "Guftgu wahan tak rahe jahan tak bardasht kar paye" (Conversation should remain within the limits of tolerance). Reflecting on the place of poetry in the fine arts, he said music, painting, dance and other art forms have established institutions for learning, but shayari largely relies on lived experience. "Ghazal and doha are deeply connected to life. Ghazal has endured because it reflects people's everyday lives, struggles and challenges, and will continue to do so," he said. The veteran poet also expressed concern over children's growing dependence on mobile phones, urging parents to keep screens away from young minds. "Children no longer have time to touch the feet of elders because their hands and eyes are glued to mobile screens," he remarked. Barelvi went on to recite several new compositions along with some of his most popular verses, much to the delight of the audience. HTC...