Author: Amiya Chakravarty
Translator: Carolyn B Brown / Sarat Kumar Mukhopadhyay
Publisher: Sahitya Akademi
Year: 2001
Language: English
Pages: 81
ISBN/UPC (if available): 8126013354
Description
With a biographical background, this book offers English language readers a selection from the compositions in Bengali of one of the major modern poets, who has a style utterly his own - flexible, inventive, even playful. He coins words freely.
More sharply than probably any of his Bengali contemporaries Amiya Chakravarty (1901-1985) broke away from the tagore canon-in style, structure, imagery, choice of themes, in his landscapes and manscapes. His experiments with syntax and verse forms, his peculiar juxtaposition of the familiar and the unfamiliar, his cryptic use of words and idioms, his terse and sometimes almost hermetic expression-all these set him apart from others. It also prevented him from winning a large readership even among Bengali lovers of poetry. However, he is, without question, one of the major modern poets distinguished by originality, technical skill, sensitiveness, plenitude and great power of evocation.
Contents
Preface
Rain (In midday darkness)
Calcutta
Door
Chetan the Goldsmith
Solace
Harappa
Petition to My Superior
Invitation
Harmony
Accident
Man’s God
Iran
Orissa
Americana
Coney Island
Ant
A Couple
Ohio
Red Cactus
Santa Barbara
Fair trade
Forever
Rain (No use crying)
Bygone
Soil
South Germany
1604 University Drive
More
Sudden Death
On the Banks of the Congo
From Mini-Lyrics
On Santa Maria Island
Among Carpenters
From Islands
From On the Move
Two fires
Night
History
Picture
Homecoming
On the bank of the Charles River
On Bay State Road
From a Streamliner
Corner Table
In a Dance Hall
Letter from a Woman Living in Italy
Festival
Duet
Meeting
Not Yet
Ascetic Scene
Telephone
Pigeons
Rationale
At day’s End Om
Finale
Notes