MAN, POET, NOVELIST - Tapan Kumar Pradhan (India)

 

MAN, POET, NOVELIST

-         Tapan Kumar Pradhan (India)

 

While trying to write a novel, instead
he ended up with a poem: 

     fresh fragrance of jasmines
               colours of butterflies
     madness of the sea
               invitation of the sky

And the solitary koel’s sweet coo-coo-cooing -
can one hope to write a novel with this? 

*****  *****  *****

 

While trying to write a poem, instead
he ended up with a novel: 

     younger daughter’s marriage
               elder son’s unemployedness
     association-members’ threats
               house-owner’s notice

And the chitter-chatter litany of the same old wife -
can one hope to write poetry with this? 

*****   *****  *****

In the spinning gyre of prose and poetry
he completely forgot life: 

           mosque-mandir clashes
                    Kalahandi’s death shrieks

 

           skeletons of Nithari
                              hulla-baloo of parliament

And the soaring prices of dal, salt and rice -
           everything he did forget: 

While trying to write a novel, he became
                himself a novelette.

****