Teesta Review: A Journal of Poetry, Volume 3, Number 1. May 2020. ISSN: 2581-7094
Theme: UNITY
A Few Words:
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When we invited poems that would represent the theme of unity
in the varying styles of the talented poets, we least imagined that we would be
rewarded with such fascinating poems by around 18 poets. Each of the poems
selected for publication possess remarkably distinctive styles and their
subjects cover a very wide range, from lament, regret, shock, outrage,
loneliness to concern, empathy, love and a desire to live in a more tolerant,
loving inclusive world of social justice where human bonding is the primary
target of all aspirations. While some of the poems combine the empirical with
emotional intelligence, others are philosophic, fusing visions, dreams and
sometimes an iota of disillusionment.
When the call for submissions was announced the focus of the
volume had been indicated. I am
reiterating the lines from that brief write-up here to emphasize why themes
like Unity demand serious engagement from poets and writers, who are the
path-finders and guides. It is the poets who can lead us beyond the wilderness
to the sacred garden of fellowship, love, care and tolerance beyond pride,
prejudice, profit and power.
I felt confident that the poets would respond to the chosen
theme with their creative imagination and nuanced use of language, crucial for
poetry. Submissions came in from diverse locations such as South Africa,
Haryana, Jharkhand as well as Kolkata Jamshedpur, Durgapur, Uttar Dinajpur,
among others. The call for submissions foregrounded the following observations –
‘In
the 21st century we are increasingly witnessing how an environment of
exclusionary practices has permeated the world with the rumblings of gloom and
doom. Poets, the unacknowledged legislators of the world, should now deem it
their duty to stem the rot as the world is out of joint and the intersections
of location, race, class, caste, gender, religion, sexuality are being vitiated
by the politics of power and profit. Yet poetry flows on, undeterred by such
inhuman acts of violence and megalomania. Poetry can spin that unifying thread of
bonding, that will hold the world together in a celebration of its magnificent flora,
fauna, landscapes, seascapes and the awe-inspiring brilliance of the human
race, despite the slippages.’
I strongly feel that Rabindranath Tagore’s poem
BHARATTIRTHA is the most outstanding poem that celebrates the theme of unity.
This brief excerpt in English translation will illustrate how unification of
human beings without bias and discrimination lies at the heart of human bonding
despite the bewildering diversity of race and culture –
Welcome
Aryans, welcome non-Aryans, welcome
Hindu-Mussalman
Welcome,
welcome you English, welcome, welcome Christians
Welcome
Brahmins, cleanse your soul, hold everyone’s hands
Come
subalterns, let all insults be erased
In the
Mother’s coronation hurry and join,
The holy pitcher is yet to be filled
With
everyone’s touch the pilgrimage site will be purified
Today, at
this seashore of Bharat’s great people
Needless
to add, it was obviously a matter of immense pleasure to have been invited to
guest edit this volume. I sincerely thank the managing editors of the journal
for this opportunity.
My best wishes to the Teesta Review on its
onward journey.
(Guest
Editor)
Teesta Review: A Journal of Poetry |