Meditation on the Goddess

Meditation on the Goddess1Goddess, Durga, lightning-eyedin the dark fortnight of the moon,mother, daughter, maiden, bride,come. Invisibly you ridea lion to the noble houseof first belonging. Mountainousit is, and river-full, and wide.Come.Grant me beauty, glory, fame...

On the Modern Poetry-Bird

On the Modern Poetry-Birdin answer to questions put by some poets metin Calcutta on the state of poetry in EnglandWhere is it, the singing art?smeared with the obscene, absurd:save it from the rubbish-cart.Once a voice to soar, swoop, dart:now a disenchanted...

At Balarampur

At BalarampurSea of strangeness, sea of beauty,starry wave of soundless Time,may the small boat of a poemcross on your immortal waterswith an evening’s cargo, savingone pure coinage in its rhyme.In a dark green mango-gardenmasked and quivering, fire-heart...

Jalangi River

Jalangi River at Natun Sambhunagar Jalangi Jalangi lingering song-singerbringer of fortunes along your ground-gardenssing in your kingliness, in your strong kindlinesssing in the language of morning and eveningof land-parting promise, of wealth in your...

The Stage

The StageRajya Loko Natya UtsavState Folk Theatre FestivalKarnajora, May 5th–8th 19941Before the inaugural eventsdefine and sanctify the square,it is already charged, immensewith dance and mask and shouting, whereeach shred of wood, cloth, flesh is tense . . .a...

Goings-On at the Academy

Goings-On at the Academy Academy of Fine Arts, Calcutta: March 28th 1994 1 The Academy is up in flames.Gautam Bhaumik is at the centre of it, standing in lightningas birds’ necks angle, a goat scrams, a bull shiver-chargesand a cat’s eyes kill. And the human is...