Veteran poet-lyricist Javed Akhtar feels that the younger generation today doesn't understand the craft of poetry and insists the art is losing it's essence.

On the occasion of launching his book 'Lava', a collection of his poems, Javed said that although there are a lot of talented poets in the country, enough isn't being done for them.

"The generation has changed a lot, poetry has lost it's value. But there are many people who are still interested in it. As far as the younger generation is concerned, they have forgotten it cause it was never a part of an education system and their environment.

The understanding of the craft is a bit limited," Javed said. The 67-year-old, who launched his first collection of poems 'Tarkash' 14 years back, said 'Lava' is a collection of his thoughts and feelings which he doesn't get to express in Bollywood.

"I am very thankful to all the people for giving me the respect, nowadays that doesn't happen. Being appreciated by so many people means a lot. I am very happy that this book has finally come out. I have been writing it for a long time but didn't publish it thinking it lacked something.

"It has given me the liberty to express myself which doesn't happen when writing for Bollywood films and songs. Over there I have to work according to the situation and the demand of the script but this book is my personal space," Javed said.

Present at the event in the Capital were Vice President M Hamid Ansari, Javed's actress wife Shabana Azmi and children Farhan and Zoya Akhtar. The veteran poet also recited poems 'Shabana', 'Mela' and 'Doraha' dedicated to his wife and children.

"I have waited for 14 long years since the last book 'Tarkash' came out and I am absolutely delighted. His poetry is special because it is accessible and he is a writer who writes in his own voice," Shabana said.

Actor-director Farhan Akhtar, who is also known for his writing skills, said, "I don't know where exactly my writing skills come from but there is a certain leaning towards writing. I guess it's in the family. It's in Zoya as well."