Jora Sanko – The
Joined Bridge
At the outset I would like to congratulate THE
POETRY SOCIETY OF INDIA (Gurgaon) for publishing an anthology of English-language
poems, written by the Bengali poets. I don't think that an anthology of such
nature has ever been planned and executed from our soil. The incredible energy
of Dr. Kiriti Sengupta (Secretary-cum-Editor, The Poetry Society Of India)
under the knowledgeable guidance of Dr. Madan G Gandhi (Founder-President) has
shown an exceptional vision in connection with this anthology. This handy
paperback of 138 pages and with an amazing cover by Tamojit Bhattacharya is a
delight to pick up and read, but whenever one thinks of a reader's note it's a
total mess! An anthology is not a book written by an author so that you can
find out its structural quality, presentation skill or other characters uniformly;
rather it's a multifaceted diamond, each surface of which glitters with
differently patterned spectrum. I, therefore, decided to sort out only ten
poems, which touched my soul most. This does not mean that the rest of the
poems are bad, or are not good. It's only a matter of personal choice, and
taste. Moreover, I don’t intend to make a list according to the order of their
merit, but I will discuss according to the sequence of the poets as followed in
the anthology.
Debjani Chatterjee (A Tribute To Mahmoud Darwish) - When a poet tries to touch the
essence of another poet, such a rendition emerges. I have read Mahmoud Darwish
in translation and so, partly acquainted with his work. Debjani has placed her
finger at the root of his message. The message of humanity; the message of
togetherness. This is the prime spirit of any successful creator, the union of
feeling. I salute the poet to bring this man out of a forgotten era.
Joydeep Sarangi (Beyond The Walls) - "I fall upon the thorns of life ! I bleed!"
uttered P. B. Shelley. Jaydeep too has seen this bleeding. It appears that he
walks apart from his journey but keeps a diary of moments. Walls grow matured
into passage, a passage of the inner-eye "where love kisses souls"
and the things ultimately are not blind. His imagery and inter-textual versions
compelled me to read this poem again and again.
Rudra Kinsuk (In A Bakery ) - Ah ! What a gem of a poem this is! It reminded me
the famous poem “The Bread" by existentialist French poet Francis Eponge.
But the stylistics of Rudra is so very different. Each poet knows how tough it is
to depict a psycho -wave in limited words. And when it is done, I call it molecular
poetry. It is actually an embryo floating in the feels of a poet and blows
itself up in the mind of the readers. If you read this poem, it is read and
finished. Have a second look, it begins to flow and flow, and you will utter
silently “nothing told, everything told" and here lies the beauty of those
five lines. Great!
Sharmila Ray (Words) - Yes, ‘word’ is the finest discovery that the mankind has
ever made - mysterious it is in nature that Sharmila has rightly said, "...when
words loose sound ... then secrets of the universe/are told in whispers."
Her treatment of this content is shaped with such delicate imagery that it
brings a magic spell for the readers. To be specific, when a poet realizes the
colors of the words, she must have immersed herself within the very philosophy
of expression. The term 'excellence' certainly suits this work.
Sujan Bhattacharyya (Are You) - This poem, when read, grabs the reader instantly. Not
because it punches an electrifying content, or not because its structure is a
research element; but for the reason that it captures the readers and make them
to stand before some questions - questions that can never be avoided. This very
work of Sujan is actually a conversation with the self. The self that can
pretend to others but can't deny the time. "can you be a fire," asks
the poet, and the answer is your own life. It is your way that relates this
poem with you. Nothing is meant by the poet, but the meaning is obvious for
every single reader. Such a piercing rendition is even rare for a poet in a
lifetime.
Sutapa Chaudhuri (Colors Of Life) - As I read this, I fell in love with the brilliant
beginning: "Colors are not my style. / life lived in black and
white..." - what a profound utterance! As Sutapa extends through the first
stanza, there comes a confession, honest yet multidimensional: "I too
dwell in Possibility," which goes reverberated in my mind still. This is
not a poem about colors; rather it colors the thoughts of the readers. A
confident pronunciation of such level makes a poem pervade through the feeling
for a long long time.
Ananya S Guha (I Have Been Thinking Of Ghosts) - A very attractive title, isn't it
? This is not a tale of ghosts, but it tells the story of an age. Each visible
shadow is worded according our look. Ananya knows it and places it with his
pensive narration. His saying is inert yet signifies the time built and the
time crossed. The read of this work leaves an oozing wound behind, but with a
hypnotic boom on the reader.
Bina Sarkar Ellias (Santiniketan 1 & 2) - As we utter the name of this place, the
great Tagore overshadows everything else. Astoundingly, these short and
interrelated poems by Bina have kept themselves out of this trap. This work
reminded me of "Khoai" by the noted poet, late Bishnu Dey ; but the
latter was long and descriptive in nature. The red soil road seems as the
tongue of Kali to Bina, and no doubt, unbelievable imagery. In Santiniketan 2,
the poet paints the wind and the rain with much splendid pen that it becomes
visible to me. I am amazed with her use of words, so simple yet so living. It
was a charming experience to have a journey parallel to this production.
Siddhartha Bose (Still Life) - The title of the poem indicates a basic form practiced
in any art school. The poem bears this nature, but with a notable fragrance.
Primarily, the line arrangement of this work is very particular and perfectly
matched with the content. Siddhartha brings his words so passionately as if a
painter is moving his color-brush on the canvas. His imagery looks so abstract
("...nipples of tongues-") that if you don't swallow his rendition in
a single reading, you can't make out his voice. As I close my eyes and think of
these penned waves, it is undoubtedly a charming one.
Kiriti Sengupta (Celluloid) - This rendition actually starts from its end line
"...and I keep my eyes open round the clock!”... as the poet exclaimed at
the arms of the clock, which hugs none. This work of Kiriti is a frozen wave.
It's the song of a moment stopped and a moment gone too. Every line of this
poem resembles the planned shot-division of a film. He observes the same time
via a long-shot and a close-up. It is his beauty that he treats his words like
the tools of an architect. And I must say that this poem of Kiriti has been
lucrative, and ‘privately signed.’
As I complete my observations on Jora Sanko – The Joined Bridge, I would
again like to make you remember that the poems discussed here have been chosen
by me, and not by the psychology of critiquing. I wish all the success of this
anthology and greet all the fellow poets included in this.
Ranadeb Dasgupta,
Barasat, Kolkata.
